


Ad Meliora

by trixreads



Series: Ava Goes to Hogwarts (Warrior Nun Hogwarts AU) [1]
Category: Warrior Nun (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ava simps for Beatrice, Avatrice, F/F, Hogwarts AU, Teen Crush, Teenagers, this is going to be the slowest slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:01:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 23,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27595871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trixreads/pseuds/trixreads
Summary: Ava had been in St. Michael’s Orphanage ever since her mom died in a car accident when she was 7. She didn’t expect her life to change much until a man who claimed to be a wizard came to the orphanage to hand her an acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.OrThe Hogwarts AU no one asked for.
Relationships: Shotgun Mary/Shannon Masters, Sister Beatrice/Ava Silva, Sister Lilith/Shotgun Mary (Warrior Nun)
Series: Ava Goes to Hogwarts (Warrior Nun Hogwarts AU) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017421
Comments: 58
Kudos: 181





	1. Chapter 1

Ava was pretty convinced she was gonna be rotting in St. Michael’s Orphanage until they finally kick her out to the streets when she turned 18. She was already 11 and it was rare for orphans above 10 years of age to get adopted . Top that with being everyone's main suspect for all the strange things that were happening in the orphanage (except for Diego), plus the head nun, Sister Frances, hating her guts, her chances were next to zero. Ava was fine with that, really. Actually looking forward to the day she doesn't have to be there anymore. When the time comes, she would do her best to find a job to support herself, and survive for as long as she can.

But as fate would have it, she’d be leaving the orphanage years earlier than she thought. Not because she was miraculously getting adopted, no (that’d be one miracle the nuns would be upset to witness). She was leaving the orphanage to attend a wizarding school in Great Britain.

——

“The school’s name is Hog- _what now?”_

Ava was in her small, cramped room, sitting on the edge of her bed as she read through the letter this man who called himself Professor Vincent had handed to her.

Professor Vincent arrived at the orphanage that early morning, expressing his desire to meet and talk to Ava to discuss an educational opportunity that her parents had apparently arranged for her before they passed away. Sister Frances interrogated the man in her office for quite some time before finally allowing him to meet Ava in her room. Once they were alone, however, the man revealed that what he told the nun was not entirely the truth. He was a professor, yes, but not from the high school in Madrid that he claimed to be from.

“Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,” Professor Vincent repeated patiently. Ava’s brows furrowed as her eyes went back and forth across the page of the letter, reading through the entire thing.

“Witchcraft and Wizardry,” Ava mumbled again under her breath. “More like Hogwash School of Bullcrap and Trickery,” she laughed at her own joke as she folded the letter, placed it back in the envelope, and handed it back to Professor Vincent. “Look, I dunno who asked you to do this, _Professor,_ but surely you have better things to do with your time than wasting it, pranking a poor 11-year-old orphan girl?”

Professor Vincent smiles kindly at her. “This is not a prank. Magic does exist, and there are wizards and witches living among us. And you are a witch, Ava.”

Ava narrows her eyes at him. “Is ‘witch’ some codename you’re using to refer to your next victim? Are you some part of a syndicate that does human trafficking? Or-or you’re someone who kidnaps kids, takes their kidneys out, and sells them in the black market?”

Vincent shook his head, amused with Ava’s wild imagination. “Clearly, you are watching way too much television shows that are way too advanced and sensitive for your age.” He leaned forward, as Ava grumbled something that sounded like “Well, I ain't got much to do around here”, lowering his voice so he barely talked above a whisper. “Tell me, Ava. Have you ever caused something to happen when you are sad, happy, or angry that you can not explain?”

Ava swallowed through a sudden lump in her throat. Oh, she had done that, alright. Done that quite often actually and got in loads of trouble with the nuns even though they couldn’t really explain why it was Ava’s fault. One time, she had an argument with the other older kids over the television. It was her turn to watch with Diego and the others but the older kids wanted to watch some stupid romcom film that was airing that evening. So they roughly shoved her and Diego off of their seats and Ava got really upset. Somehow, the tv started switching channels non-stop. They were all scared, someone even ran out of the room, screaming. No one wanted to go near the tv, thinking it was suddenly possessed until one of the nuns arrived and pulled the plug. The older kids pointed all their fingers at Ava, and even though there was no logical explanation on how Ava could have done a feat like that, she was punished anyway. She was not allowed to watch any television for a week and had to clean all the toilets of the orphanage.

Shuddering at the memory, Ava nodded her head at Professor Vincent’s question.

“That, Ava, are your magical powers. Without knowing how to control it, it just comes out of you when your emotions get too overwhelming. Children who are fortunate to grow up with their families already get a bit of guidance from their parents with this but you have no one to help or to explain these things to you. We can finally help you with these things at Hogwarts. That is, if you decide to come with me.”

Ava frowned. How come her mom never mentioned anything of this to her? Granted, she might have been too young back then. She was only 7 years old when they got into an accident during their small trip to Spain. The accident took her mom’s life and broke both of Ava's legs. The hospital doctors were so baffled when her broken legs were cured within a span of two nights. They actually called it a ‘miracle,’ then immediately transferred her to an orphanage handled by nuns. How fitting. Could it have been magic all this time?

Her memories were fuzzy but Ava had no recollection of her mom doing any sort of magic. Could she have gotten the magical genes from her unknown father? The father that her mother refused to talk about? Could it be from her grandparents? Now that Ava thought about it, she didn’t remember anything about having met any other family members or relatives. It had always been just her and her mom.

Ava stared right at Professor Vincent’s eyes, trying to see any indication that he was lying. Her heart started to beat faster in her chest, excitement starting to get a hold of her. But she tried to push it down, afraid of getting her hopes up abd having it all end up as an awful joke. “Are you sure you’re not just tricking me into coming with you to a mental asylum? I swear to god, if this is a prank…”

He glanced at the door of Ava’s room. Upon seeing it slightly ajar, he stood up and closed it. He then walked over to the window, pulling the curtains shut, putting the room in semi-darkness. Ava sat up a bit straighter, heart pounding in her ears. _What’s happening? What is he doing? Is he gonna murder me here and take my kidneys?_ Professor Vincent reached inside his pocket with his left hand and pulled out what appeared to be a wooden stick.

“Let me show you that this is not a trick.” And with a flick of his wrist, a lot of things happened all at once.

All the lamps in her room turned on. Ava let out a surprised yelp as her wardrobe’s door burst open, all her clothes and personal belongings flying out and going around in circles above their heads. A very old bag stored underneath her bed slid out, transforming into a brand new leather duffel bag with the Hogwarts Coat-of-Arms on it, ( _“Ooh, free school merch? Sweet!”_ ) before it laid itself on the floor, zippers open. With another flick of his wrist, all the items zoomed into the bag, clothes folding neatly and other things squeezing themselves into it. After a loud zipping sound of the zippers closing, everything was suddenly still.

Ava’s jaw hung open. She stared at the bag, then at her now empty wardrobe, and then at Professor Vincent. “Holy fucking shit, that was...that was AMAZING!” Ava finally burst out, suddenly on her feet and practically bouncing in place.

“Language,” scolded Professor Vincent, but he was smiling as he pocketed the stick once more and handed the Hogwarts letter back to Ava. “So, what do you say? Would you like to come with me and we’ll get you ready for Hogwarts or would you rather stay here in the orphanage?”

Ava beamed. “To Hogwarts, it is!”

____

To say that Ava had a lot of questions would be the understatement of the century. She had been talking non-stop as she and Professor Vincent left the orphanage with all of her things (which was not a lot at all to be honest), took an overnight train to London, made their way to the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley. She asked Professor Vincent anything and everything she could think of about magic and the wizarding world.

“What was that stick you used to do some magic in my room? Will I also get a wand of my own? What’s a muggle? How come muggles don’t know about us? Why are we hiding from them? My mom was probably a muggle...Are there other magic schools aside from Hogwarts? Eleven prestigious schools in the world and Hogwarts is one of them? Whoa...Anyway, where are we? Why are we going through a pub? Holyshit, what just happened to the brick wall? You mean this place has been hidden behind that wall all this time?!”

Professor Vincent tried his best to answer all of her questions, no matter how ridiculous it probably all sounded to him and Ava was thankful for his patience with her. He seemed highly amused by her talkativeness and cluelessness anyway.

Ava was vibrating in excitement, peeking into every window of every store once they were in Diagon Alley. Almost everything in this place, magical or not, was new to her (she never really got the opportunity to go out and do window shopping while she was in the orphanage). Ava was basically having a field day. That was until she decided to line up at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, getting a huge scoop of Strawberries and Cream in a Waffle cone, that she suddenly realized she had no way to pay for what she just ordered.

Highly embarrassed, she watched Professor Vincent drop a few bronze coins into the shopkeeper’s waiting hand to pay for her ice cream. Ava was a lot slower and quieter as they continued to walk along the streets of Diagon Alley, not even eating the ice cream she just got. After a few seconds, she finally asked.

“Professor, how would I be able to pay for everything that’s on the list of my letter? There’s at least 15 different items and books listed in there. I highly doubt all of my old belongings are worth enough to be exchanged for any item on the list. Unless I have an inheritance sitting around in a magical vault somewhere, I’m pretty much screwed.”

“Hogwarts has funding set aside to help students like you, so don’t worry,” Vincent said, giving Ava a warm smile. Ava still looked put-off so he continued: “However, the change I used to pay for your ice cream came from my own pocket so make sure you eat and enjoy your ice cream before it melts or I would be quite upset.”

Ava smiled at this and mumbled a sincere “thanks” before resuming eating her strawberries and cream.

At the end of the day, Ava was pretty exhausted but was also very happy. This day had been, with no doubt, the best day of her life so far. They managed to get her all the things on her list: her Hogwarts robes and cloak, books (“Are we expected to read all these within a year?” Ava said apprehensively, eyeing the huge stack of second-hand books that they just got from Flourish & Blotts), a cauldron, a set of glass phials, and the most amazing one in Ava’s opinion, of course, her very own wand. Ava had to test out at least 5 different wands, nearly wrecking Ollivander’s shop before they found one that chose her: 11 ½ inches, Ash wood wand with a Phoenix feather core. Professor Vincent even asked her if she wanted a pet but Ava had refused for now. She barely knew anything about the wizarding world, let alone care for a magical living creature’s life. “Maybe later once I’ve gotten a hang of this whole magic thing.”

Professor Vincent got her a single room at the Leaky Cauldron where she could stay for the night. They had just finished eating dinner at the pub and Vincent was making sure Ava was ready before he left.

“I’m afraid this is where I leave you,” he said. “I have some other business to attend to before school starts tomorrow. I’ll speak to Tom and ask him to help you get to Kings Cross Station and on your train to Hogwarts.” He took a small pouch of coins from his coat pocket and handed it to Ava. “Here’s some money, in case you need anything. Will you be ok on your own?”

“I guess. I mean, I have to, right?” Ava replied as she accepted the pouch from him.

“Then I will see you tomorrow at Hogwarts.”

____

The next day, Ava woke up early and got ready. She wore the best clothes that she owned (a simple, untattered, old pair of jeans that were a size too big for her, a white shirt with a cartoon print at the front, a dark blue hoodie, and a maroon beanie), made sure everything was packed and ready to go, before heading downstairs to look for Tom. She found him in the kitchen and he welcomed her with a fresh, warm plate of bacon and eggs. While Ava was wolfing down her bacon, Tom grabbed her things from her room and readied them by the door. When she was done with her third helping of breakfast, it was finally time to go.

Tom had already hailed a muggle cab when Ava exited into the streets. The cab driver gave them an odd look as he helped them stuff Ava’s cauldron filled with books and other trinkets in the back of the car. He didn’t say anything about it though as they drove, didn’t even say a single word even when they were stuck in traffic for almost half an hour. Ava was starting to get worried they’d arrive extremely late and she would miss her train. So when they reached the station with about only 10 minutes to spare, Ava immediately shot out of the cab to grab a trolley while Tom paid the driver.

Tom helped her haul all her things on the trolley before wishing her good luck and leaving her to find her platform. Pulling out the Hogwarts letter out of her bag, she scanned the page for the information about her train. Upon reading it however, Ava wished she checked it earlier while Tom was still with her.

“Platform 9 ¾,” she read, looking at the numbers incredulously. “That can’t be right.”

She was now standing between platforms 9 and 10. Both platforms were empty, with no trains coming on the tracks for another hour or so according to the information board. Ava was starting to panic. She would miss her train to Hogwarts at this point.

Ava was already regretting her decision of refusing Professor Vincent’s offer of getting her a pet (she could have gotten an owl so she could send an SOS letter to Hogwarts) when she heard a sweet voice behind her say: “The way to Platform 9 ¾ should be around here somewhere...Hurry up, Ma! Pa!” Ava turned around to see a girl about the same age as her, with short, dark, curly hair looking around the platform. Her parents were with her, looking quite anxious while the girl was the exact opposite, buzzing with excitement. Ava, knowing there was a high chance this girl could be going to Hogwarts as well, followed them as they passed her.

“Madam Superion said it’s the barrier between 9 and 10…this should be it!” The girl exclaimed as she paused in front of a wall, beaming.

“Are you sure we should just try and...walk right through a very solid-looking wall? I know it’s supposed to be hidden by magic and all but...what if it doesn’t work? We are going to look like idiots, walking into a wall, _Mija_ ,” said her father in a hushed anxious voice, Ava wouldn’t have heard him if she wasn’t standing near them at all. Ava decided to clear her throat and make herself known. The girl’s father jumped up into the air from shock.

“Uhm...sorry to bother you,” Ava started as three pairs of eyes looked at her. “I couldn’t help but overhear what you were talking about — no, no don’t worry!” She immediately exclaimed, as those eyes widened in fear, as if terrified she might report them to the authorities for talking about magic. “I am also looking for Platform 9 ¾, for the train going to Hogwarts.”

“Oh!” The family let out a sigh of relief. The girl smiled broadly at her. “Are you also new?” Ava nodded. “That’s great! You said you don’t know how to get to the Platform? It’s basically through that wall. The professor from Hogwa—“

Her mom cut her off. “Hi, dear. Sorry to interrupt but I suggest that you two talk on the train. We only have three minutes until it departs. You two head in first. We’ll get your trolleys and follow in.”

The girl nodded and looped her arm around Ava’s. “We’ll do this in a run, I guess. You ready?” And she started to run before Ava could even give her a reply, or even process what was happening, getting dragged into the wall.

Ava’s ears were suddenly overwhelmed by the loud sound of the train’s whistle as soon as they emerged on the other side. Both she and the girl had their mouths gaping open as they stared at the train with a huge Hogwarts crest at the front and a golden plate that had ‘Hogwarts Express’ in big bold letters embossed onto it. The platform was packed with wizarding families shouting over the loud noises of the train and the hooting of owls as they saw their children off. The engine started to roar as the girl’s parents appeared as well, pushing their trolleys along with them.

“All aboard!” Someone yelled and the trains started to move. Ava and the girl rushed over to the train, the girl’s parents at their heels.

They threw their things into the train first and jumped in as soon as they got everything. The train was moving a lot faster now so the girl’s parents had to jog after it. “Have a good term, you two! Don’t forget to write to us, _Mija_!” The father shouted after them. They both waved their goodbyes to them, the girl standing longer by the train door, still waving as the train completely left the platform, speeding away.

She then turned to Ava who just gathered her things. “We haven’t properly introduced ourselves, have we? My name’s Camila!” She held out her hand and Ava shook it.

“I’m Ava. Thanks a lot for your help back there, I would have totally missed the  
train if I haven’t overheard you talking.”

“You are most welcome. Did the professor who gave you your letter forget to explain to you how to do it?” Camila asked as she gathered her things as well.

“Probably. Or he might have told me but I totally didn’t register it in my brain because I was too busy asking about other things.” They both started down the corridor, looking for a place they could settle for the rest of the ride.

“I assume you’re also a muggleborn?”

“I guess? At least I think my mom was a muggle. She died when I was 7. Never knew my dad. Had been living in an orphanage ever since.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. And muggleborn or not, I’m just as clueless as you here, if not even more. This is my first big adventure outside of St. Michael’s Orphanage.”

They have nearly reached the end of the train before they were able to find a compartment for themselves. This compartment wasn’t empty either, one person was already sitting inside, face hidden behind a book. Ava knocked on the compartment door and slid it open.

“Hey! Mind if we sit in here with you? Everywhere else is full.”

The pretty Asian girl (Ava immediately observed when she lowered her book to acknowledge them) gave a small shy smile and nodded. She rearranged her things to give them more space and even helped them haul some of their bags over at the overhead compartment. Once they were settled once more, Ava introduced herself and Camila to her.

“My name is Beatrice, also a first year,” the girl introduced herself as well. Her tone was polite and she had an English accent that Ava found very appealing.

They sat in an awkward silence for a bit, all three of them smiling shyly at each other, unsure what to talk about. Just then, a lady with a cart full of treats and sweets passed by their compartment. Ava and Camila both jumped up to take a look. There were loads of various sweets of different shapes and sizes, and really weird and funny names as well. Ava wanted to try them all but decided to check the small pouch of coins Professor Vincent gave to her. One glance already told her that she didn’t have a lot of money in there (Professor Vincent had taught her the basics of the wizarding money when they were in Diagon Alley. She only saw about 3 or so silver sickles and a handful of knuts in the pouch). Not knowing if she’d get more allowance later on, Ava decided to save up and only got herself a Chocolate Frog. Camila was getting one as well plus some Pumpkin Pasties.

Ava sadly turned her back from the trolley and was about to return to her seat when she noticed Beatrice watching her. Feeling a bit embarrassed and conscious, Ava waved the Chocolate Frog to her and said “I-I haven’t tried these yet. They’re not actual frogs, are they?”

“No.” Beatrice stood up and went over to them. “I think I might have some as well.” She looked at the trolley, as if deciding on what to get until she said, “I’ll have a bit of everything, please.”

Ava and Camila were both stunned as they watched Beatrice carry all the things she just bought in their compartment. She dumped all of it on the empty seat beside where she sat and went back out to pay the lady. She thanked the lady, came back in, closed the door behind her, and smiled at both Ava and Camila.

“Do help yourselves with these, I wouldn’t be able to finish them all on my own.”

The two dumbstruck girls were shy to take any at first, especially Ava who had a feeling Beatrice only bought all of these because she saw the pitiful way Ava looked at the rest of the sweets. Ava’s miserable thoughts got interrupted when Camilla shoved a box of small colorful beans under her nose.

“You might want to be careful with those,” Beatrice warned as Ava took the box from Camila. “They’re called ‘Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.’ When they say ‘every flavor,’ they do mean everything. There are nasty flavors like earwax, vomit, dirt and such.”

Ava was about to get a green bean with some darker green patches but decided against it upon hearing this (it suddenly looked suspiciously like one of those nasty ones). Ava went for a safe-looking red one instead and let out a sigh of relief when she tasted cherries.

The girls had a lot of fun consuming the sweets, Beatrice describing to Ava and Camila what each kind was before they tried them. Ava wasn’t prepared for the Chocolate Frog to jump out of her hand even though Beatrice warned her that it would do that. (Camila had caught it before it could escape out of their compartment and shoved it in her mouth) Both Ava and Camila also managed to get a taste of the weird flavored beans -- Ava getting a rotten egg bean and Camila, an earwax one. After they’d gone through most of the sweets, there was a content comfortable silence between them.

“Uhm, Beatrice,” Camila started as Ava nibbled on the end of a Licorice wand that Beatrice seemed to like a lot before frowning at it and putting it aside. “Since you seem to know a lot about the sweets, I guess it’s safe for me to assume that you are from a wizarding family?”  
Beatrice slowly nods her head. “I am from a muggle family and Ava also grew up not knowing about magic. So I think both of us have no idea what to expect once we get to Hogwarts. I mean, you did say you are a first year as well but maybe your older brothers and sister told you how it is to study in Hogwarts?”

“I sadly do not have any siblings,” Beatrice started to say slowly. “My mother was sent from China to Japan by my grandparents to study magic at Mahoutokoro in Japan, it being the most prestigious school in Asia. My father --” she paused, as if finding the right words to say. “My father studied at Hogwarts but…” Again, a pause. “...but I learned mostly what I know of Hogwarts reading about it in books.”

She cleared her throat and continued. “Hogwarts was founded by four wizards and witches from whom the School Houses were named after. There was Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. First years will get sorted into the House that best suits each of us through some sort of test. Once you are part of a house, you would pretty much spend most of your time with them for the entire duration of your stay at Hogwarts: go to classes together, eat on the same table together, sleep in the same dormitories together, and such.”

Ava already secretly hoped she’d be sorted into the same House as Beatrice and Camila. “Cool! So does one need to have certain traits to belong to a House? Which house do you think you will get sorted into? Which house was your father in?”

Ava wasn’t sure what she said but Beatrice’s posture became stiff, her eyes suddenly focused on the floor. Ava gulped and was about to tell Beatrice to forget about what she just said, but before Ava could say anything, the door to their compartment opened.

“Beatrice! There you are! We’ve been looking all over for you.” A tall girl with thick eyebrows, sharp features, and amazingly prominent cheekbones stepped inside their cabin. She also had an English accent although Ava didn't find hers appealing at all.

“Lilith,” Beatrice blinked and composed herself. “Sorry, I just wanted to read a book on my own so I didn’t go around to look for you and the others.”

Lilith raised an eyebrow, pointedly looking around at the pile of sweets and empty wrappers occupying the seat next to Beatrice. Beatrice’s cheeks turned a shade of red. Ava, for some reason, decided to come to her rescue.

“She was peacefully reading her book when we barged in with all the treats. She was nice enough to let us dump it all there beside her. Speaking of, would you like to have some?” Ava gave her best smile at Lilith.

As if she just noticed they were there, Lilith turned to Ava and Camila, looking them over from head to toe before finally saying, “No, thank you.” Looking around, she found Beatrice’s things in the overhead compartment, took them, then turned her focus back to Beatrice.

“Come on, grab the rest of your things and join us. Crimson’s brought her new Firebolt 360 her parents got for her as a gift for getting in the Quidditch team.” She turned and left their compartment.

Beatrice sighed and grabbed her book that she placed by the window. “I’m sorry, I have to join them now. It was nice meeting the both of you and please, keep the sweets. See you later, Camila.” She met Ava’s eyes. “Ava.” Then she left.

_________________

Ava was a bit bummed out by Beatrice leaving them. She already disliked this Lilith a lot even without really knowing much about her. It was just her and Camila in the compartment for the rest of the trip now though. She really liked Camila. It was so easy to talk with the girl and they jived almost immediately. They talked about how her entire family in Spain reacted when another Hogwarts professor (Madam Superion according to Camila) knocked at their door bearing the news that one of their six children was capable of doing magic.

“My Padre was so shocked, he actually fainted when Madam Superion performed magic right in front of us.”

It was already dark outside when a school prefect knocked on their door to tell them that they would be arriving at Hogwarts soon and that they needed to put on their school robes. Both of them took turns in doing so while the other stood outside of their compartment door. An announcement then blared along the whole train, saying they would be arriving in less than 5 minutes, they should leave their belongings in the train, and it would be taken care of for them. Ava and Camila, both having a weird mixture of nerves and excitement, left their compartment and lined up along the corridors with the other students.

The train screeched into a halt, the doors opening and the students starting to file outside. She saw Beatrice and Lilith not too far away from them with a group of snobbish, entitled-looking kids. Beatrice looked a bit out-of-place and looking uncomfortable, standing with this awful-looking lot who were sniggering and pointing at the nervous first years.

“First years!” Someone yelled over the chaos. Ava turned to see a kind face of a man with a mustache, beaming at the students. “Over here, please. First years!”

“Go. We’ll see you at the Slytherin table in a bit,” Ava heard Lilith tell Beatrice and another two kids who were with them before she went the other direction with the higher year students.

“Is this everyone? Are all the first years with me?” The man called out again as all the new students gathered around him. “Excellent. Now if everyone could follow me, please.” And he started to go down a steep narrow path surrounded by trees. Everyone followed closely behind him.

The path led to a great black lake where several dozens of boats were waiting for them.  
On the other side, everyone could see the Hogwarts castle illuminated by the moonlight. The first years all whispered in excitement at the sight.

“On the boats please. Make sure there aren't more than four of you on one.”

There was a scuffle as the first years got on the boats. Ava and Camila jumped onto a boat (a bit reluctantly on Ava’s part) and they were joined by a tall girl and a handsome boy with dark, curly hair.

Once everyone was settled, the man shouted “FORWARD!” and the boats started gliding towards the castle.

“Hi!” The tall girl greeted both Ava and Camila, breaking the silence. “My name is Chanel, and this is Juan Carlos. Are you both excited?”

“Hello!” Camila bubbly greeted them back. “I’m Camila and yes, I am very excited!” Ava was oddly silent, seeming to be quite preoccupied with staring into the water, biting her lip. Camila gently elbowed her to get her attention.

“Wai--what? Uh, hi! I’m Ava. What were your names again? Chanel and Juan…?” Ava trailed off with a forced smile that looked like a terrible, pained grimace.

“Please, call me JC,” he chuckled, as if amused by Ava. “Are you ok though? You look kinda pale. Nervous?”

“Not really. Excited actually...until we decided to get on the boats. I’m just not very hyped about this whole boat entrance to the castle,” Ava said, eyeing the water again. “I...I can’t swim.”

“Oh, you got nothing to worry about! I’m a pretty good swimmer. I got you, Ava.” He grinned sheepishly at her.

“And I’m pretty sure the man guiding us to the castle won’t let you drown either,” Chanel said, throwing an amused look at JC. “We’ll be back on land, in the castle, and sorted into our houses before you know it.”

“Oh, do you guys know which House you’d want to be in yet?” JC asked them.

“Not really,” Camila replied. “We don’t really know much about the different Hogwarts Houses. We only know their names.”

“Oh, are you both muggleborns?” JC remarked. “Cool! Must be really amazing to suddenly find out about magic. I actually attended muggle school myself since my muggle mom insisted I should. My dad was in Hogwarts though, in Gryffindor House. So I kinda expect to get sorted in there too.”

“My parents both attended Hogwarts as well,” Chanel chimed in. “My mom was a Gryffindor but my dad was a Ravenclaw. So I’m actually a bit unsure where I’d get sorted in.”

“As long as it’s not in Slytherin,” JC added.

“Exactly. As long as it’s not in Slytherin.”

“Why? What’s wrong with Slytherin?” Ava asked, vaguely remembering what Lilith said to Beatrice before they parted ways.

JC and Chanel shared a look before Chanel leaned in closer to whisper, “Well, everyone who gets sorted into Slytherin aren’t exactly the...friendly sort. They’re an arrogant lot who thinks highly of themselves. Slytherin housed a lot of wizards and witches who eventually turned to the dark side.”

Ava suddenly had an image of wizards and witches wielding red lightsabers instead of wands. She chuckled to herself before thinking back to Beatrice and Lilith again. From the sound of it, Lilith belonged in Slytherin House and she was expecting Beatrice to be sorted in it too. Ava suddenly remembered how Beatrice was surrounded by a group of nasty looking students when they got off the train...

“No, she doesn’t belong with them!” Ava suddenly bursted out, so vigorously and animatedly standing up all of a sudden, forgetting she's on a boat. Of course, the boat started rocking at the sudden motion, tipping towards Ava’s side and she lost her balance, falling into the water. She didn’t hear Camila yelling her name as her whole body sunk underneath, didn’t even realize that JC had jumped after her as she started to panic.

After flailing around for what felt like forever to her, Ava then felt hands grab her and drag her upwards (or was it downwards? She wasn’t sure) until head broke the surface of the water and could suddenly breathe again.

“Calm down! I got you!” JC’s voice filled her ears. She coughed and sputtered as she got dragged back towards the boat, Camila and Chanel reaching out to help her back on it.

“Is everything alright over there?” The mustached man yelled over to them.

“We’re good! We’re okay, just a small dip in the lake!” Chanel yelled back.

“What was that all about?” JC asked when he managed to clamber back onto the boat, breathing heavily.

Ava, not knowing why she acted like she did either, simply said, “Nothing.”

_____________________

The first years made their way up a flight of stone steps when they finally docked underneath the castle, Ava and JC both dripping water everywhere as they went. They stopped before a huge, oak door where a woman wearing completely black robes was waiting . The woman had her hair pulled back so tight and hidden underneath a veil that reminded Ava of the nuns from her orphanage. Unlike the nuns in St. Michaels though, this woman looked like a total badass, carrying around a long black cane and sporting a long scar on the right side of her face that ran from her hairline down to her cheek.

“That’s Madam Superion,” whispered Camila. “She was the one who brought my Hogwarts letter.”

“No wonder your dad fainted,” Ava whispered back.

Madam Superion raised an eyebrow at Ava and JC. The two were both creating their own growing lake water puddles on the floor as they stood there, their hairs plastered on their foreheads and faces. The other first years were snickering at them.

She didn’t say anything, didn’t even scold them but the look she gave them alone made Ava feel very scolded indeed. Madam Superion flicked her wand and Ava suddenly had this sensation of being stuffed inside a massive air dryer. When it was over, her clothes and hair (now looking extra fluffy) were dry like before.

“Welcome to Hogwarts,” she then spoke. She talked about the Sorting ceremony, the different Houses, and the amazing feast that was awaiting them once they got sorted. After a few minutes of waiting, they were asked to form a line and were then led into the Great Hall.

Ava was pretty sure she looked like an idiot with her mouth hanging open but she couldn’t help it. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined a place like this. There were four long tables where the higher years students were already sitting. Thousands of candles were floating in midair several feet above everyone’s heads. Looking further up, Ava noticed that the ceiling appeared non-existent, as if the castle was simply open to the skies outside. Ava nudged Camila and pointed to the ceiling, Camila gasping in amazement.

The first years came to a halt in front of a long table where the teachers were sitting. In front of them was a pointed wizard’s hat sitting atop a wooden stool. All of a sudden, the entire Great Hall fell silent, and Ava and Camila were shocked when the hat suddenly moved and broke into a song. That hat sang about the four School Houses and about the traits their founders look for in a student. The whole Great Hall broke into applause once the hat stopped singing, both Ava and Camila joining in enthusiastically. Then there was silence when Madam Superion stepped forward with a long roll of parchment in her hands.

“I’d be calling out your names one by one. Once called, I want you to step forward and put on the hat to be sorted,” she said, unrolling the parchment.

Madam Superion started calling names one by one. A blonde girl with the name of “Wilhelmina Abbott” was sorted into Hufflepuff; “Denis Alcorn” was placed in Slytherin; “Violet Atkins” in Ravenclaw; “Circe Bagman” in Hufflepuff; “Cadmus Belby” in Gryffindor;

Ava started to notice that some of them took no time to get sorted while some took longer. She turned her head and followed the sorted students as they went to their respective House tables who clapped and cheered loudly every time a new student joined their House. Ava was getting really nervous now. What if she gets sorted into Slytherin House afterall? What if--

“Black, Beatrice!”

Ava’s head snapped quickly back towards the sorting at the mention of Beatrice’s name. She saw her walking up to the hat, seeming calm and collected compared to the other first years who went up to the hat. But before she could pull the hat on and could cover half of her face (the hat was quite big for them), Ava could have sworn that she saw a flash of fear and uncertainty reflected in Beatrice’s eyes.

There was silence. It took the hat a bit of time before finally yelling out, “RAVENCLAW!”

There was a pause before people started clapping. And even then, the clapping seemed a bit forced, as if there was tension in the air. No one was cheering and whistling. Even Madam Superion looked a bit surprised with this. There was also quiet murmuring in the crowd. Beatrice took off the hat, her face not betraying any emotion, as she walked over to the Ravenclaw table and took a seat. Ava saw Lilith’s face over at the Slytherin table, looking at Beatrice with a mix of shock and concern in her face.

“What’s up with that?” Ava whispered to Chanel and JC who were standing beside her. Camila leaned over to listen in.

“Judging from her last name, she’s from the Noble House of Black, probably the largest, oldest, and wealthiest pure-blooded wizarding family in all of Great Britain,” Chanel filled them in. “For generations, Blacks had always been sorted into Slytherin House, that was why everyone was a bit shocked. I can imagine the family wouldn’t be too happy to hear that Beatrice broke the Slytherin House streak.”

“What? But that’s ridiculous! She doesn’t have to fall into line with whatever fucked up tradition her family is into,” Ava said, heatedly.

“You don’t understand, Ava. These old families are really crazy about these things--”

But Chanel’s name was called before she could explain any further. She scrambled up to the front to put on the hat. The hat yelled out “HUFFLEPUFF!” and Ava, Camila, and JC all cheered loudly along with the Hufflepuff table.

“Why are you so bothered by this thing with Beatrice? Are you two close?” JC asked Ava as the claps slowly died down and “Clearwater, Doris” was called after Chanel.

“Uhm...no, not really. We were just in the same train compartment together on our way here and she seemed like an absolute total saint compared to the Slytherins you just described, is all.”

“She bought us a lot of sweets,” Camila added, as if that justifies everything Ava just said.

JC looked thoughtful. “Huh. Maybe she is different. Let’s hope she doesn’t get disowned and treated as a blood traitor for this. It may sound a bit exaggerated but you never know...this family is really touchy with these things,” he clarified when he saw the look of disbelief in Ava’s face.

“Cortez, Camila!”

“Oh crap, that’s me!” Camila squeaked and she hurried off to put on the hat. It immediately yelled out “HUFFLEPUFF!” as soon as it touched Camila’s head and Camila let out a sigh of relief. She waved at Ava and JC before hurrying to the Hufflepuff table to join Chanel.

And the sorting went on. Diggle...Elphick...Fudge...Goldstein...Hooch...Hopkirk...

Their numbers were starting to dwindle. JC’s name got called and he was sorted right into Gryffindor like he had predicted.

Jorkins...MacMillan...Marchbanks...Meliflua...Nettles...

Why was her last name so far back in the alphabetical sequence?

Peakes...Pomfrey...Podmore...Quirke...Roix...

There were only a handful of them left now.

“Silva, Ava!”

Finally, she thought as Ava almost ran to the front and shoved the hat onto her head. She was suddenly engulfed in darkness as the hat went past her eyes. And then…

“Hmm...another interesting one, I’d say,” the hat mumbles in her ear. “Very clueless, yet so much enthusiasm. There is warmth, yes. So very warm and bright from a source deep within your chest...and yet, is it good or bad? Hmm...really curious…”

 _What on earth is this raggedy ass hat going on about?_ Ava thought.

“Also has quite a mouth and requires lessons in good manners...” The hat continues. “Very well. I think I know where to put you, girl…GRYFFINDOR!” It yelled out loud to everyone.

A bit taken aback by what the hat said near the end but quite happy with the result, Ava returned the hat back on the stool and headed to the Gryffindor table. She was a bit sad that she and Camila got separated and a small part of her kind of hoped she’d be in Ravenclaw. But she figured being in Gryffindor wasn’t too bad. At least JC was there.

“Here, Ava!” JC was already making space for her to sit beside him at the Gryffindor table. He gave her a high five when she sat, smiling sheepishly.

“Welcome to the best House in all of Hogwarts, kid.” A black girl who is a few years older than Ava said from across the table. She held up a fist and Ava gave her a fist bump. The girl grinned at her.

“Ava, right? I’m Mary. I heard you two jumped into the Black Lake on your way here. Already making a name of yourselves even before you got sorted. I’m impressed.”

“Where did you even hear of that?” Ava asked.

“News gets around fast. You’ll learn that pretty quickly.”

The Sorting ceremony ended when the last four remaining students after Ava got sorted: “Travers, Teresa” was placed in Ravenclaw; “Volkov, Stan” in Slytherin; “Warrington, Victoire” in Gryffindor; and “Zadornova, Zori” in Slytherin. Everyone clapped when the Sorting Hat was put aside. A man with a big nose dressed in white and silver robes stepped forward. It appears that the Headmaster, Francisco Duretti, was about to give his welcoming speech.

“Excellent! Congratulations to the new students who just got sorted. It feels like it was only yesterday that I put on the very same hat myself and got sorted into Slytherin House,” Duretti said and he smiled towards the Slytherin table.

“What? The Headmaster’s from Slytherin?!” Ava whispered. Mary shushed her.

“Now, before we begin with the feast, let me introduce the new students to our staff.” He turned and raised his hand towards the left end of the table where Madam Superion sat. “Madam Superion, whom you’ve all already met. Head of Slytherin House, the Transfiguration and Flying teacher, and would also later on teach you Apparition when and if you manage to reach your 6th and 7th year at Hogwarts.”

Madam Superion gave a curt nod, her facial expression barely changing. All the students clapped politely.

“Right next to her is Professor Jillian Salvius, Head of Ravenclaw House and teacher of Potions, Basic and Advanced Arithmancy, and Alchemy. She had also been awarded Order of Merlin, Third Class for her astounding achievements and discoveries in the field of Alchemy.” A blonde lady wearing modern, stylish robes smiled and waved at them.

“Then we have Professor Kristian Schaefer, handling Astronomy and Divination. He used to work for the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic.” The small man beside Professor Salvius chuckled and said, “Really quite humbling to be introduced after you, Jillian.”

“Professor Mateo, our Hogwarts Gamekeeper who also handles both Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures.” The man who led them from across the lake beamed and waved at everyone.

“Professor Orozco, Head of Hufflepuff House and teacher of Charms and Muggle Studies.” An old man squinted around the Great Hall.

“Professor Vincent, our Defense Against the Dark Arts and Ancient Runes teacher.” Ava made sure to clap harder for him. He seemed to be the favorite of a lot of students because the applause sounded a lot louder compared to the others. Professor Vincent raised his goblet to everyone, smiling.

“And I, your Headmaster, will also be teaching you History of Magic and Ancient Studies.” More applause. “Anyway, I am sure all of you are starving. So please, enjoy the feast.”

The golden plates in front of them were suddenly filled with food. There were roasted duck, steak, pork chop, fried chicken sausages, pasta, potatoes, pudding, and a hell lot more dishes which had names that Ava couldn’t even pronounce and dishes she couldn’t even identify. She immediately dug in, filling her plate bit a little bit of everything. She chatted merrily with the other Gryffindors stuffed her cheeks with food (she was really hungry). Another student called Shannon, who Mary introduced as her best friend, came by to say hi while Ava was gnawing on her lamb chops. The two older girls started to talk about Quidditch, which was a popular wizarding sport that was played on brooms. Ava was highly interested and paid a lot of attention as Shannon explained to her the basic rules of the game.

Eventually, the food disappeared once everyone seemed happy and content. Ava had never been this full in her life, she almost felt a bit sick from the amount of food she had just consumed. She was starting to feel so sleepy that she missed most of the last minute announcements that Headmaster Duretti made about the Hogwarts School Rules. He bade everyone good night and it was time to head to their respective house towers. Ava and JC waved to Camila and Chanel over at the Hufflepuff table before following the Gryffindor prefect, Mary and Shannon tagging along. Ava also eyed the Ravenclaw table, which was between theirs and Hufflepuffs for a sign of Beatrice, but she couldn’t find her in the sea of students.

They were led through a lot of corridors and moving staircases that Ava eventually gave up trying to remember the path they were talking. They passed by several paintings and portraits, all which seemed to be moving. (“It’s like hundreds of flat televisions hanging on the walls but each one is playing the same boring show on repeat,” Ava observed. A man from one of the portraits heard her and asked, “What are televisions?”) She’d just do her best and stick with the rest of the Gryffindor firsts years so she wouldn’t get lost in the next coming days.

The group stopped in front of a huge portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress. “Ahh! First years!” she clapped her hands excitedly. “Time to learn your first password!”

“Ad Meliora,” The prefect announced.

“Towards better things, indeed!” The fat lady exclaimed and the portrait swung open to reveal a round entrance to the Gryffindor Tower Common Room. Several round cushions and couches were surrounding the fireplace where a nice, cozy fire was roaring. Mary and Shannon situated themselves onto the cushions, deciding to stay up a bit longer to do a little bit of catching up, while the prefect showed the first years the doors towards the separate girls and boys’ dormitories. Ava, even though she was feeling awfully sleepy, wanted to stay up for as long as she could, decided to hang out with Mary, Shannon a little bit longer. JC bid them good night and headed to the boys’ dormitory.

Eventually, Mary and Shannon also decided to head to bed so Ava was forced to do the same. She half-asleep changed into her pajamas and brushed her teeth before finally collapsing in bed. She was scared to go to sleep, afraid that everything she had just experienced today would end up only being a pleasant dream; that Hogwarts doesn’t actually exist and that Camila, Chanel, JC, Mary, Shannon, Beatrice and everyone she had met today were just products of her imagination; that she would be woken up by the nuns in her orphanage so she and the other orphans could scrub the floors. She replayed the whole day in her mind again before finally succumbing to sleep at past three o’clock in the morning.

Of course, Ava woke up extremely late for her very first class the next day and was immediately called ‘new troublemaker’. But Ava couldn’t care less. She wasn't dreaming. It was all real.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically a summary of Ava first year at Hogwarts, with plenty of Quidditch, Quidditch, and more Quidditch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow. I wrote another chapter. What is happening to me?
> 
> So this has turned into a multi-chap fic now, thanks to my undecided self. The original plan was to just establish how they all ended up in Hogwarts with the first chapter and then do time skips and write several one-shots in the same world. But then I figured I had to write how they all become friends, started hanging out, etc etc etc
> 
> So here we are. And from the looks of it, we're gonna have more chapters after this.

Days passed by quickly since Ava first set foot at Hogwarts. Her excitement in realizing that she can do magic was immediately replaced by stress and anxiety as soon as the classes began and homework started piling up. The students were given homework from every subject every week, asking for parchments and parchments of essays about the lessons they’ve learned in class -- 

Ava hated writing. She had been criticized awfully at the orphanage by the nuns and fellow orphans for her horrendous, incomprehensible scrawl, so she tried to avoid writing as much as she could. Of course, she realized this was an issue when Madam Superion gave back her 16-inch-parchment essay discussing how to transfigure a match into a needle, asking her to rewrite the whole thing because she couldn’t understand Ava’s gibberish script.

Ava’s self esteem also took some heavy blows during the first few weeks and she started feeling incapable compared to the other students. She seemed to be having trouble with her magic, the success or failure of her spell casting totally unpredictable. Sometimes she’d do well, sometimes nothing would happen, and sometimes it would backfire on her. JC tried to encourage her by saying she just didn’t have a lot of practice compared to the others who grew up being taught magic by their families at a young age. But Camila, who was a muggleborn and didn’t know anything before Hogwarts either, was doing just fine and was consistent with her charms and spells. (The Gryffindor first years have Charms classes together with the Hufflepuffs. Ava, JC, Camila and Chanel would sit next to each other during class so Ava was well aware of Camila’s progress.)

The Gryffindors had Potions classes with the Ravenclaws, and Ava would take the seat right next to Beatrice during their first classes together, determined to befriend the other girl. Ava — along with the other students and professors — quickly learned within those first few weeks that Beatrice was a very intelligent and gifted witch indeed. She wouldn’t actively draw attention to herself in class, refusing to raise her hand until it was apparent that no one else in class knew the answers to the questions. But when she did raise her hand, she would provide the answer with such confidence and clarity like she had been simply reading it out from the book. All the Hogwarts professors were very impressed, of course. Professor Salvius would simply just call on Beatrice in their Potions class if she wanted her questions quickly answered.

It became clear that Beatrice just excelled in everything within the first month or so. She wasn’t only book-smart, she was also good in spell casting, potion-making, and even flying. She was constantly winning house points from every class and the Ravenclaw’s enchanted hourglass near the Great Hall entrance was already glittering majestically from the amount of sapphires already in it. All the first year Ravenclaws were suddenly so happy to have her in their house and wanted to be her friend, that it became impossible for Ava to get a seat right next to her in class.

The only reason Ava was not completely miserable during the first months at Hogwarts was because of Flying. Flying became Ava’s favorite subject because it was an area Ava seemed to be quite good at. Very good, in fact. During their very first Flying class together with all the first years from all Houses, Ava could command the broom easily with her thoughts. And when they started flying, she instinctively knew exactly how to do things before being instructed to. She was a natural, which was quite funny considering how Ava had always been clumsy (She would sometimes trip over her own feet while simply walking). Yet she was very nimble on a broom, even Madam Superion was quite impressed with her.

Of course, Ava wasn’t the only first year who could fly well. There were Randall and Zori from Slytherin; some girl from Hufflepuff Ava forgot the name of; the girl who, Ava noticed, seemed to constantly be around Beatrice, Teresa; and of course, Beatrice.

When they started learning how to play Quidditch in their Flying class around mid October, everyone had been evaluated as to how well they could fly. Since Flying was an optional class for higher years, the students would be able to simply drop the subject whenever they wanted from second year onwards. This evaluation was to give the students an insight on how to proceed with it.

Students who would receive a lower score than five would be advised to continue with Basic Flying classes. Those students who would get a score above five would be given the option to continue with Advance Flying in their higher years. And if these students were interested in possibly playing Quidditch for their Houses, they would have to go through an additional assessment as well. Interested students had to test out how each of them fair playing the different roles of the teams. Ava, Camila, and JC bravely lined up for this evaluation while Chanel stayed behind.

Ava quickly learned that she wouldn’t make a good Chaser at all, since she seemed to constantly drop the Quaffle (she might know how to fly a broom but her hands were still quite uncoordinated). She would immediately dive after every Quaffle she dropped, flying almost completely vertically as fast as she could, and would pull up just in time before she could hit the ground, Quaffle back in hand. Upon witnessing this happen several times, Madam Superion promptly let out the Snitch and asked Ava to chase after it. She caught it within the first 30 seconds and Ava could have sworn that she saw the ends of Madam Superion’s lips twitch into a small smile. After that, she had to try out guarding the goal posts (which didn’t go too well for her either), and try her hand on whacking the Bludgers, which nearly unseated her off of her broom several times before Madam Superion blew her whistle to signal the end of her assessment. When Ava got her evaluation sheet back from her, she saw that she got a nine-out-of ten for flying, and the word “Seeker” was circled and underlined twice in red. Ava beamed.

Her two other friends went for the evaluation after her. JC, who already told them that he mostly played as a Keeper when he played Quidditch with his cousins, basically got this role circled on his sheet and a score of 7.5. Camila had a bit more difficulty. She wasn’t a natural on a broom like Ava but she seemed to be very interested in the sport. She got a six and Chaser circled on her sheet, with a note saying “Needs further practice” scrawled underneath it.

Beatrice was also one of the students who lined up for further evaluation. And it appeared that she was capable of playing all the roles: she almost saved every other student’s attempt at scoring goals when she played as Keeper; she managed to hit and redirect the bludger away from herself (although it seemed like she lacked the power to completely whack the bludger for it to change course. The lone bludger kept on making a U-turn after she hit it, coming straight for Beatrice again); like Ava, she also caught the Snitch pretty quickly, with only seven seconds more than Ava; but what was most impressive was when she played as a Chaser. She was an unstoppable force everytime she had the Quaffle. Even JC, who did so well at being a Keeper that Madam Superion asked him to guard the goals against Beatrice, couldn’t save a single goal when she was attacking. She would feint attacks, tricking JC into guarding a particular hoop before twisting her body in midair and shooting the Quaffle to the unguarded hoop instead. It was astonishing to watch, Ava and the other students’ jaws were hanging open from Beatrice’s performance.

So it was really no surprise to the first years who witnessed this when the news of Beatrice getting recruited for the Ravenclaw Quidditch Team spread all over the entire school. There hadn’t been any first year who managed to get into the Quidditch team in the last 10 years, so this made her an instant celebrity. Beatrice was no longer known for being “The Black Sheep of the Black Family” but was now known as the best witch of their year.

Ava was happy for her but at the same time, she felt the distance between them grow. All hopes in befriending the girl started to fade, and Ava started to wonder if Beatrice even remembers her.

* * *

The Holidays turned out to be quite depressing as well. Even though Ava was used to Christmas being like almost any ordinary day while she was at the orphanage (sure, the nuns would decorate parts of the orphanage where visitors were able to walk around in for the occasion. They even prepared a slightly fancier dinner on Christmas Eve for the orphans, but that was basically it), she was expecting to celebrate it with her friends this year now that she was at Hogwarts. But when Professor Vincent walked over to all the House tables for the list of students who would be staying at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays, none of her friends wrote their names down on the parchment aside from her. Ava had forgotten that her friends, unlike her, have families waiting for them at home.

This was also the time Ava learned that she would have to return to St. Michael’s Orphanage once the year was over and summer vacation started. Ava’s stomach plummeted to the ground at the thought of returning to the orphanage, and nothing was able to cheer her up for days after learning this.

In the weekend of the third week of December, Ava had woken up to a nearly empty Gryffindor Common room. No Gryffindor first year decided to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays except for Ava so she had the first year dormitory room to herself. JC, Camila, and Chanel all took the Hogwarts Express back to London the day before, all of them promising to send Ava Christmas gifts. Mary and Shannon, who decided to stay at Hogwarts that year, saw Ava return to Gryffindor Common Room after seeing her friends off. The two older girls had taken the crestfallen girl under their wing and did their best to spend time with her.

Christmas morning did cheer Ava up quite a bit upon waking up to a pile of Christmas presents at the bottom of her bed. Camila had sent her old Gameboy Advance with Pokemon Yellow version, and a muggle Christmas greeting card. In the card, she wrote that the console used to be her favorite, but she felt like Ava needed it more than her now. JC sent her a huge box of Honeydukes chocolates, and Chanel, a beautiful maroon scarf she had weaved herself.

After dinner that night, Ava was playing Pokemon Yellow while sitting around the fireplace in the common room. Mary and Shannon were also there along with Hazel, a Gryffindor 5th year, and they talked a lot about Quidditch which made Ava pause her game and join in on the conversation. All three of the older girls were members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team (Mary was the Beater, Shannon was the Keeper, and Hazel was one of the Chasers) so they ended up discussing possible plays and strategies for their upcoming matches.

“Did you see how Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in the last match?” Hazel said. “They’re pretty damn good this year. I don’t think Slytherin will stand a chance with their match in January.”

“True but I don’t think Slytherin would let them win without a fight,” Mary added. “Their new Beaters -- Crimson and Currant, were they? Yeah, those Carrow twins were quite brutal. I think I have never worked my ass off trying to keep those bloody Bludgers off our team’s backs as much as I did during our fight with them.”

Ava jumped in the conversation. “But did you see how fast Ravenclaw scored? They goaled about seven times in just 10 minutes, Hufflepuff barely touched the Quaffle. And more than half of that score was done by their newest and youngest Chaser! Beatrice is a badass!”

“Ava’s right though,” Shannon contemplated. “Black is pretty good. Slytherin’s Keeper would have a hard time with her.” Ava nodded her head vigorously at this.

Mary snorted. “Slytherin’s keeper is just a burly seventh year who only succeeded in blocking the goals because he’s too big for his own good.” Both her and Ava laughed at this while Shannon shook her head at the both of them.

“Their only hope is to catch the Snitch before the Ravenclaw Seeker does and before they score more than a hundred-fifty.” Hazel crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Ravenclaw’s our biggest contender this year, that’s for sure.”

“We got this. We got the best Keeper in all of Hogwarts. Shannon will handle Beatrice just fine.”

“I wouldn’t be too overconfident, Mary. I have a feeling we might have to fight really hard to defend the Quidditch Cup this year.”

* * *

January arrived and like they had predicted, Ravenclaw defeated Slytherin with two-hundred-and-ninety points to forty. Gryffindor won over Hufflepuff a month later with two-hundred-and-fifty to sixty. For the first time in 10 years, it looked like Ravenclaw had a great chance of winning the Quidditch cup.

The pressure was really on for the Gryffindors and Ava could feel it as well even though she wasn’t part of the Gryffindor team. You could feel the tension in the air everytime Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had classes together. The Ravenclaws would surround Beatrice like bodyguards, as if they were waiting for the Gryffindors to do something bad to their star player to sabotage their House’s chances — not only with the Quidditch Cup, but also for the House Cup as well (during this time, Ravenclaw was in the lead for the House Cup with five-hundred-and-eighty-five points). Ava couldn’t figure out how Beatrice, who was training regularly with the rest of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, was still managing to participate so well in class and submit all her essays on time while Ava struggled so much with it.

The two competing teams have established a schedule over which team could use the Quidditch pitch on which days. The Gryffindors booked the pitch for Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings, while Ravenclaws got Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Saturday mornings. Fridays and Sundays were rest days for both teams.

“Rest day? Hell no, my Fridays and Sundays are spent doing homework. There’s no such thing as rest day for me,” Mary complained. She and Shannon were both sporting dark circles under their eyes by now.

The whole Gryffindor Team decided to stay at Hogwarts for the whole two weeks of the Easter holidays to prepare for their exams in the morning and practice more Quidditch in the evening. This time, JC, Camila and Chanel all stayed as well, Camila also bearing news that her parents decided to invite Ava to stay with them this coming summer. This had been the best news for Ava in a long while, boosting her morale and motivating her to get some studying done with the others in the library during the holidays. At the end of the day, the five of them would go to the Quidditch Pitch to watch Gryffindor team practice (the Ravenclaws wouldn’t let any Gryffindors watch their own).

Finally, the Saturday of the final match arrived by the end of May. Ava saw the Gryffindor team huddled over at their table in the Great Hall, trying to cram breakfast down their dry throats. They left the table all together to get ready for the match, looking extremely exhausted but determined. The Ravenclaw team did the same from the table right next to theirs.

Ava, JC, Camila and Chanel all went together to the stands to where the rest of the Gryffindors were, binoculars hanging around their necks (Camila and Chanel decided to support their friends’ house for this match). Across the field where the professors’ stand was, were a lot of faces Ava had not seen before.

“If I am not mistaken, I believe those people are some of Hogwarts’ governors,” Chanel explained when Ava wondered who they were out loud. “See the couple wearing black robes right next to Headmaster Duretti? Those are Mr. & Mrs. Black. Beatrice’s parents.”

Sure enough, Ava recognized the same soft features that graced Beatrice’s face reflected almost identically on the older woman sitting next to Professor Salvius. Her eyes were smaller and her nose a tad rounder but aside from that, it was like seeing an older version of Beatrice. Between her and the Headmaster sat a man who Ava assumed was Beatrice’s father. He looked about ten years or so older than his wife, having dark brown hair that was starting to turn grey from his temples, down to his sharply well-trimmed beard. Ava would have thought of him to be really handsome except his proud and noble demeanor and how he looked around at everyone else like they were far inferior to him was really off-putting.

Chanel frowned. “The girl probably feels a lot more pressured now that her parents are here to watch.”

The match started and Gryffindor managed to score the first goal within 5 minutes of the game. But after that goal, it was Ravenclaw’s turn to go on the offensive. Soon enough, Beatrice was in possession of the Quaffle, weaving expertly passed the players, dodging the Bludger Mary sent speeding her way, and was heading straight for the Gryffindor goal post with only Shannon to get through--

The Gryffindors roared when Shannon managed to save the goal, kicking the Quaffle towards the waiting Gryffindor Chasers who immediately went for an attack of their own. Beatrice quickly recovered and was speeding off towards the other end of the field to try and defend their own goal. Ava, through her binoculars, saw Beatrice's father’s eyes narrow and frown from across the field. 

Ava was so torn between cheering for the Gryffindor team to win and cheering for Beatrice everytime she had the Quaffle. The latter was a lot harder to do because everytime Ava looked even the slightest bit excited when Beatrice had the Quaffle, the rest of the Gryffindors would throw her glaring looks as if she had just betrayed their whole house.

The match continued to go on like this, Shannon held her ground exceptionally well that Beatrice only succeeded in scoring four times during the entire match. The Ravenclaw Keeper, as good as he was, was no match for the coordination of the Gryffindor Chasers and the constant distraction of the Bludgers that were being pelted towards him by Mary and her co-Beater. Eventually, the Gryffindor Seeker caught the Snitch, effectively ending the match and winning the Quidditch Cup yet again with two-hundred-and-seventy points to ninety.

All the Gryffindors, even Camila and Chanel were cheering and celebrating. But before Ava could celebrate with the others, she found herself searching for Beatrice on the field. Ava saw her land on the ground with the rest of the dejected Ravenclaw team and look towards the teachers’ stands but she didn’t find the ones she was looking for. Beatrice’s parents had already left.

* * *

The week after the last Quidditch match of the season arrived along with their exams. Camila and Chanel, both passed with good marks, and JC did pretty alright as well. Ava, barely scraped a passing grade but she was happy nevertheless. Of course, Beatrice got the highest grades in their year, receiving perfect marks on every subject.

Ravenclaw might have failed to snag the Quidditch Cup yet again but they have definitely won the House Cup with an astounding lead. The Great Hall was completely decorated in blue with the Ravenclaw Banners with their House Crest hanging from the walls on their farewell feast. Ava stuffed herself full that evening knowing she’d definitely miss Hogwarts’ fine dishes until the next school term starts.

They boarded the Hogwarts Express back to London the next day. Ava, Camila, JC and Chanel occupied a cabin to themselves and chatted about their plans for the entire summer until they arrived at King’s Cross Station. When they all left the train, Ava saw Beatrice bid farewell to her Ravenclaw friends before finding Lilith who was standing at the sides. Beside her stood a man who looked very much like how noble family butlers were depicted in films. Beatrice walked over to them, and while the man hauled her luggages onto a trolley, she looked around and met Ava’s gaze. Ava was about to avert her gaze, a bit embarrassed to have been caught staring but Beatrice gave her a warm smile before turning to leave.

Ava, feeling encouraged, smiled to herself as she kept her fingers crossed, hoping that Gryffindors will have plenty of classes together with the Ravenclaws next year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This definitely turned into a Quidditch chapter. Quidditch AU? lol
> 
> Lemme know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically Ava's 2nd year at Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been both busy and lazy during the holidays so my original goal of having this chapter published before 2020 ended was a fail. lol  
> Imma try to get the next chapter done sooner. Especially now that I got a solid plot planned.
> 
> Special thanks to Cocoa_N_Donuts and JRichieGrlShips for reading through this mess for me.

Even though Ava was invited by Camila’s family to stay with them during the Summer holidays, Ava still had to go back to St. Michael’s and stay there for a week. She had to report back to the orphanage and give them the fake documents from her supposed boarding school in Madrid that Professor Vincent had prepared for her. Sister Frances tried to ask her a few questions about how her studies were coming along when Ava handed her the documents, and Ava easily lied to the nun with no problems at all.

It was to Diego who Ava had difficulty lying to.

“I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me, Ava…”

Ava let out a deep sigh as she dumped the fresh clothes she had laundered into her duffel bag. Diego stood by her room’s doorway, watching her as she pulled the zipper of the bag shut. Camila and her parents were supposed to be picking her up from the orphanage that afternoon.

“Look, Diego, I --” Ava started but as soon as she turned around and saw the look of sadness on Diego’s face, her heart broke and she couldn’t bear to lie again to the boy.

Diego had indeed missed her dearly when she was gone for a year. The boy immediately rushed to her room upon learning Ava was back, hugged her tightly, and asked her a million questions about her school, about the new friends she had made, and the things she had learned in the past year. Ava saw Diego as her younger brother and probably the person she trusted the most in the orphanage, but she couldn’t break the Wizarding Statute of Secrecy and tell him about magic and of Hogwarts, or she could get herself expelled and more. So Ava lied to him. And Diego, young as he was, was pretty mature for his age and saw right through her.

Diego pouted at her. “No lies between each other, remember?”

“No secrets,” Ava agreed, “But Diego, if I tell you, we’ll both be in big trouble.”

“Why?” Diego asked as Ava picked up her bags and carried them downstairs, Diego following her closely. “Are you attending a school for spies? Are you being trained as an assassin? Are you maybe attending a school for witches and making potions and casting curses? Or maybe you have the Force and are being trained as a young Jedi now?”

Ava missed a step going down the stairs with Diego’s second-to-last guess, almost rolling all the way down if she hadn’t dropped one of her bags and gripped the rails. “You watch  _ way _ too much tv, Diego.”

“Look who’s talking!”

“I don’t watch tv as much anymore. We don’t even have that at Hog-- at school.”

Diego looked shocked. “You  _ don’t _ have a television at school? How are you surviving?”

Ava placed her things on the floor by the waiting chairs at St. Michael’s entrance and sat down. Diego sat beside her, now deep in thought.

“I think it might actually be a mutant school. And they had all the tv’s removed because of that tv trick you could do and thought it safe not to have televisions near you. Yeah, I think that explains it. Ava, you’re a member of X-men!”

Ava chuckled and poked the boy’s nose. “You got me. Whatever you say, you nerd.”

Diego giggled. But then his face fell. “Why do you have to go so soon though? You just got back and now you’ll be going again…”   
  
Ava’s heart broke for the 5th time that day. “I’m sorry… a friend from school invited me to stay with them over the summer and I agreed and…”

“Well that’s alright. I understand why you’d want to spend the summer with your friend rather than here. I would do too.”

At that moment, the front doors opened and in came a couple who Ava recognized as Camila’s parents. They saw her as well, and beamed broadly at Ava as she stood up to greet them.

“Hi there, Ava!” Camila’s mother said, and she surprised Ava by giving her a warm hug. “Camila had already told us so much about you when she came home for Christmas last year. I know you barely know us since we didn’t properly introduce ourselves at the train station. My name is Isabel and this is my husband, Samuel.”

“Nice to meet you again, Ava.” Camila’s dad shook her hand. “Camila’s waiting for us at home since someone needed to look after her younger siblings.”

Ava introduced Diego to the couple as well and both of them shook the boy’s hand. Mrs. Cortez spoke more to Diego in Spanish while Mr. Cortez went inside Sister Frances’ office. He came out a few minutes later along with the nun.

“Everything is done. We can go now,” he said as he picked up Ava’s bags and started leading everyone to the door.

Sister Frances, her arm now around Diego’s shoulder, stopped by the doorway, halting the boy in his steps as well. “This is where we see you off, Ava. Enjoy your summer with the Cortezes and we will see you again next year.” She smiled yet it didn't quite reach her eyes. Diego looked like a mouse caught between an eagle’s talons.

Ava gave the nun a curt nod. “Bye, Diego.”

“See you soon, _Hermana_.”

Halfway towards the car, Ava, turned to Mrs. Cortez. “I’m sorry to ask this of you all of a sudden but do you think we could also take Diego with us? Just for the summer too, of course.”

Mrs. Cortez looked at her sadly. “I’m sorry, Ava. It’s not that easy, we actually had to go through a formal process to be able to take you with us for the summer, and we had to get permission from the head of your orphanage a month early. Perhaps next year, alright?”

Ava nodded sadly. When she turned to look back towards Diego, he and Sister Frances were already gone and the door to the Orphanage was already closed.

* * *

The Cortez household turned out to be everything Ava had dreamed a family would be: eating warm, home-cooked meals together (Ava, after having dinner that first evening, was pretty convinced that Mr. Cortez was the best cook in the entire world), sharing chores with each other (although not without playfully pointing the finger at each other), and watching movies on the couch all together. Once, they packed everything up and went on a roadtrip to Ronda.

The family seemed to be quite well off: Mrs. Cortez has a high ranking position in a tech company where she has been working now for several years, and the family also owned a junkyard and a recycling business that Mr. Cortez managed.

This junkyard and recycling business turned out to be quite perfect for Camila since she loved tinkering around with things and inventing new things out of scrap. She has her own workshop in a corner of the basement of their house, where she would sometimes bring home broken machines and devices from their junkyard. She would sometimes fix these devices, or take them apart and create new things out of them. Camila showed Ava her inventions: a marshmallow launcher Camila described to be perfect for spontaneous food fights while out on a camping trip; a mini toothpick crossbow which, Mr. Cortez warned, was actually pretty dangerous after he had told Ava the tale of how he ended up having a toothpick embedded in his backside when Camila’s younger brother got a hold of the weapon; an RC car fitted with a camera, microphone, and a speaker which Camila used to prank her siblings with.

Camila had expressed her interest in the possibility of combining muggle tech and magic, and she was so confused as to why wizards and witches still refused to adapt certain muggle tech into their lives when they were clearly more efficient. She and Ava would sometimes sit around in her workshop, brainstorming about different things they could create when combining both muggle and wizard tech, Ava’s favorite being self refilling, waterproof gel ink pens that straightens one’s handwriting.

Camila was the third child among five. Her two older siblings, a brother named Luis and a sister named Nina, already moved out of the house since both were pursuing careers in different cities. So far, Camila was the only one who could do magic in the family. She told Ava that the whole family was in on the secret and that her two younger siblings, Juan (a 7-year-old boy) and Selena (a 4-year-old girl) were both looking forward to their 11th birthdays and the possibility of them receiving their Hogwarts letters after as well.

Camila’s younger siblings quickly warmed up to Ava. The two loved role playing and pretending to be different characters every night before heading to bed, and Ava, who did this a lot with Diego, played with the younger siblings as well. They had played as pirates whose ship got sunk down by a huge sea monster, got washed ashore into an island that had a tribe who wanted to keep them as prisoners and slaves (Ava had to change her original idea of having cannibals when she saw the look on Selena’s face). They managed to escape from the tribe when a great inventor on her flying vehicle came to their rescue (they managed to convince Camila to join them on the fourth night) and fly them to a floating island in the sky where a pot of gold sat above the clouds, at an end of a rainbow. They took the pot of gold, flew back down from the clouds, and bought themselves a nice, grand Cruise Ship and went touring around the world.

Their letters from Hogwarts arrived in the last week of July after a week of Ava staying with them. Ava had been woken up by two owls tapping on their bedroom window early one morning. Aside from the list of supplies and a letter informing them about their train going to Hogwarts on September 1st, Ava’s owl also had an extra letter regarding her scholarship at Hogwarts and a pouch tied around its leg. The pouch contained 10 Galleons, which were Ava’s school supplies allowance provided to her by Hogwarts. The letter contained information about her scholarship, her responsibilities as a recipient, and who she needed to approach in case she had any problems (Professor Vincent’s name was written on it). Professor Vincent was supposed to be providing her with more allowance once she arrived at Hogwarts. Both of them showed their letters to Camila’s parents and they all decided that they would all be traveling to London in the last few days of August to get them their supplies in Diagon Alley.

They arrived in London on the 30th of August and have booked a muggle hotel near where the Leaky Cauldron was. Mr. Cortez stayed with Camila’s two younger siblings while Mrs. Cortez accompanied Ava and Camila inside Diagon Alley to get their supplies. Ava had bought the cheapest parchments and inks, as well as cheapest set of potion bottles. She had grown a bit taller and her robes might be a couple of inches shorter than they were a year ago but Ava decided not to get new ones just yet to save some money. She didn’t get second hand books from Flourish and Blotts this time since she was told she could borrow those books from the library when she arrived at Hogwarts.

She and Camila stared at the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies where the new brooms, the Firebolt 3000 and the new Ignis, was up on display. Ignis was a new line of brooms from the same creators of the old Nimbus. And from what Ava heard from the other wizards and witches gawking at the broom, Ignis wasn’t the fastest broom out in the market (the Firebolt 3000 holds that record so far) but it was a pretty amazing broom for the price in the hands of a skilled flyer (it was almost a hundred Galleons cheaper than the Firebolt). Ava’s eyes glazed over as she started to daydream about herself wearing the Gryffindor Team Quidditch robes while flying on the Ignis.

The family and Ava stayed in their London hotel until the 1st of September when they all dropped Camila and Ava off at King’s Cross Station. Selena started to cry when the family bid both girls goodbye in front of the wall going to Platform 9 ¾. Mr. Cortez managed to calm Selena down when he said that Ava would be welcome to stay with them again next summer if she, and maybe even her friend Diego, wanted to, in which Ava immediately said yes to. The two girls waved goodbye to the family and discretely passed through the wall when no one was looking.

Ava and Camila boarded the Hogwarts Express 10 minutes before its departure. There were still several vacant cabins compared to the last time they were on it but the two searched the train from front to the back for any sign of their friends, JC and Chanel. They saw a lot of the higher years from different houses occupying a few of the front cabins, already settled and discussing what they’ve done during the summer. There were also several unfamiliar faces (first years, Ava assumed) sitting around, looking scared and excited. The two were halfway down the train when they bumped into Beatrice and a couple of Ravenclaws along the corridors. Beatrice uttered a quick “hello” to the two of them before getting swept away by the other Ravenclaws.

At last, after nearly scouring the entire train, Ava and Camila eventually found JC and Chanel in a cabin near the end. The two joined both of them and JC helped both Ava and Camila haul their baggage in the overhead compartments. One of Camila’s bags was so heavy that they just slid it under their seats. Ava knew Camila wanted to try and invent new stuff by applying magic to some of her inventions so Ava was pretty sure that that bag contained some of her muggle tools and spare gadget parts.

The ride to Hogwarts was spent talking and discussing how their summers went. JC told them all about how he and his parents went on a hike with the muggle side of his family, how they had to survive 2 weeks without any magic and doing everything the muggle way. Chanel had travelled to France to visit some of her relatives there. Camila and Ava told the others about their activities and the ideas they had come up with and discussed while in Camila’s workshop. All the while, all four of them were snacking on sweets again. (Ava was reminded of last year when Beatrice had bought them all of the different varieties of sweets. She wondered if Beatrice had now done the same for her Ravenclaw friends).

It was already dark when they finally arrived at Hogwarts. All four of them had changed into their robes and wearing their respective House colors. They got off the train and went to the other end from where the first years were being gathered by Professor Mateo, the Game Keeper. There, they bumped into Mary who -- Ava was surprised to see -- was not with Shannon.

“Hey Mary!” Ava waved to her as she, Camila, JC and Chanel walked towards where the other higher years were heading to. Mary stopped in her tracks, letting her other Gryffindor friends walk ahead without her. “Where’s Shannon?”

“Shannon’s still back in the train, checking that no student is left behind and all,” Mary replied after nodding her greetings to the other three, Camila and Chanel whom she had met a few times already because of Ava. “‘Cause unsurprisingly, her diligent ass got chosen to be a prefect.”

“Oh cool! Good for her! And really no surprises there.”

They continued to walk forward until they were standing before a queue of students waiting in line to board some carriages being pulled by -- and here, Ava’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of these black, winged, horse-like creatures. These wings resembled those of a bat’s, leathery yet massive, attached to their skeletal bodies.

“What are those?” Ava blurted out, both fascinated and scared of the creatures.

“What? Where?” JC asked, looking around.

“Those creatures pulling the carriages?”

Camila, JC, and Chanel all blinked at her. “Uhm...I don’t see anything pulling the carriages though?” Camila said, confused. JC and Chanel both nodded their agreement.

“They’re called Thestrals,” Mary said, stepping forward as the queue got shorter and shorter. “Like you, I can see them. But not everyone can.”

“Why not?” It wasn’t only Ava who seemed confused by this judging by the clueless looks on her other three friends’ faces. She felt a bit proud of herself for some reason, finally being able to do something that her other friends couldn’t.

Mary led them forward and in front of the queue where a carriage being pulled by two of these creatures was waiting for them to get on. Mary walked over and stood in front of the thestrals and started to stroke their snouts. Ava hesitated before joining her, staring at the white, blank eyes of the thestral to her right.

“Only people who have seen death are able to see them,” Mary explained. “These creatures have a pretty bad rep because of that, plus the fact that they don’t exactly look cute.” One of the thestrals turned to Ava, sniffing around her, puffing out air from its nostrils before coming around and nudging its nose on her back.

“Uhm… do they normally do this?” Ava laughed nervously as both the thestrals pulling the carriage started to nuzzle her. Camila, JC, and Chanel all stood at the side, staring at them and looking absolutely bewildered.

“Huh. Nah, that part’s new. I think they like you.” Mary chuckles, patting both the thestrals before pulling Ava away. “Come on, we’re stalling the line. Get on the cart.”

They all got on the carriage. On the short trip to the castle, Ava debated with herself if she should ask Mary about who she had witnessed dying, and was about to brush it off when Mary started to explain it herself.

“It was my mom.” She said quietly. “It was when I came back to Hogwarts for my second year after I took a break that I started seeing them. I was with her in St. Mungo’s when it happened.” She forced out a laugh. “Imagine my shock when I started seeing the thestrals.”

“I’m sorry. About your mom,” Ava said. Everyone was quiet for a while. Then Ava continued. “It was probably my mom for me as well. I’m not sure, I honestly don’t remember much of that day. I don’t remember seeing her...die. I just remember we were driving and then...and then nothing. I woke up in a hospital and my mom was gone.”

There was silence between all of them until they reached the castle.

* * *

Ava was definitely happy to be back at Hogwarts and be with her friends. She also couldn’t wait to get on one of the school brooms again and fly around. She wasn’t, however, looking forward to the classes.

The morning after that evening’s welcoming feast, Ava went down to the Great Hall with JC and some of the other Gryffindor second years. Professor Vincent came over to hand everyone their timetables while they were all having breakfast.

“So Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Ravenclaws immediately after breakfast,” JC reads the timetable aloud for Ava who was currently stuffing her face with pancakes. “Then Charms with the Slytherins after that and then...oh no! Transfiguration with the Slytherins  _ again _ ! And with Madam Superion too! I heard she always favors her own house…”

Ava groaned. Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Ravenclaws for their first class of the term? She couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Ava was known for not being able to perform spells properly on her bad days. And she frequently had bad days in her first year. Luckily they had Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms classes with the Hufflepuffs last year, and they were a nice bunch of kids and never made fun of her. Ava wasn’t so sure she could say the same thing about the Ravenclaws though. Almost all of them were brilliant students and know-it-alls and even though they also haven’t said anything about Ava being their exact opposite, Ava had seen some of them give her a confused look as if they were seriously wondering why Ava was still there at Hogwarts.

She and the other Gryffindor second years all made their way to the North Tower for Defense Against the Dark Arts. When they went inside the classroom, the Ravenclaws were already there and had already occupied the seats in front. The Gryffindors took the remaining unoccupied seats, Ava and JC sitting at the far back. Ava had a glance of Beatrice sitting at the second row of the middle aisle before everyone in class settled down when Professor Vincent walked into the room.

They immediately delved into Disarming Charms that day, first tackling the theory part of the spell, learning how to properly pronounce it and how to wave their wands, before splitting up into pairs to put it into practice.

Shouts of “Expelliarmus!” filled the room. JC, who had partnered with Ava, was trying the spell first. Crimson sparks erupted from his wand when he uttered the spell, but Ava’s wand remained in her hand. Several of her classmates also had the same result, none were quite able to disarm anyone successfully just yet.

“Concentrate! Focus on your partner’s hand and try to imagine sending their wands flying into the air,” Professor Vincent called out to everyone as he walked around. “Remember to take turns and let your partner try as well.”

_ “Expelliarmus!” _

There was a flash of Crimson light and one of Ravenclaws’ wand was sent flying through the air. Everyone followed its trajectory with their eyes until the wand was caught by none other than Beatrice who appeared to have casted that perfect disarming spell just then.

“Excellent! Very well done, Ms. Black,” Professor Vincent beamed. All the Ravenclaws and even some of the Gryffindors (including Ava) all clapped their hands at Beatrice who was now pink in the cheeks and smiling shyly as she returned the wand back to her partner. “That is how you cast a perfect Disarming Charm. Please take ten well-earned points for Ravenclaw. Now, take that great example from Ms. Black and try again. Wands up!”

Slightly encouraged now, Ava turned to face JC once again and closed her eyes. She tried to imagine JC’s wand soaring into the air, just like what Beatrice did. She could do this...she was going to perform this spell right. Feeling a slight warmth in the middle of her chest, probably from excitement, she let this warmth spread towards her wand arm and --

**_“EXPELLIARMUS!”_ ** Ava roared.

A blast of red light streamed out of her wand. There was yell as it sent JC’s wand -- and JC himself -- flying across the room.

* * *

JC was sent to the hospital wing after that Disarming Charm accident and Ava had to go to Charms alone and without her friend. News of it immediately spread around within the second years during the short pause they had between the classes and Ava knew she would have to endure the teasing and sniggering from the Slytherins during their Charms class. It would most likely carry all the way through to Transfiguration with them that afternoon as well.

And it did.

They learned about the Skurge Charm which was a simple, easy ectoplasm cleaning spell. This didn’t require them to go partnering up (Professor Orozco only conjured a blob of ectoplasm for each student to clean up) but Ava noticed how everyone seemed to give her a wide berth when they started practicing the charm. Apprehensive and anxious to not accidentally blast anything -- or anyone -- again that day, Ava only mumbled the spell half-heartedly to herself. Of course, her blob remained the same while almost everyone else managed to clean up theirs. She received additional homework to practice the Skurge Charm that day.

The same thing happened in Transfiguration. Though JC was already well and was able to rejoin them that afternoon (“Madam Mallard could fix broken bones easily,” JC told Ava), Ava was already having a bad day and was in a pretty sour mood. They were supposed to be turning Beetles into Buttons but all she managed to do was annoy her beetle and allow it to fly away. She lost 5 points from Gryffindor for that and managed to get more homework compared to anyone else.

* * *

  
  


They were nearing the end of September and Ava was back to stressing out about her poor performance in class. She wasn’t really bothered with the written stuff and homework -- she knew she had no motivation to study the theory side of things and had pretty much given up on that -- but she was quite concerned about her poor spell casting ability. Discounting the times she had accidentally made things blow up and sent people flying across the room, Ava seemed to be incapable of producing magic when she wanted to. All her wand could do at most was emit pitiful colored sparks when she tried to cast a spell, but most of the time, nothing happened. The Slytherins were already making fun of her, calling her a “squib” in class when the Professors were out of earshot, or when they passed each other along the corridors.

“Don’t listen to them, Ava. We know perfectly well that you have a vast pool of magical ability within yourself. I experienced it first hand,” JC would tell her every time this would happen.

Yet Ava was starting to doubt it herself. What if it was just her wand doing those crazy things? What if there had been a mistake all along and they had accidentally sent Professor Vincent to the wrong orphanage? What if she actually wasn’t a witch?

Yet again, Quidditch was her only escape.

“Seeker tryouts tomorrow afternoon. You better not forget, Ava.”

They were having dinner that Friday night after a long, stressful week -- at least for Ava -- when Mary and Shannon suddenly flopped down on the seats in front of Ava to remind her of tomorrow’s events at the Quidditch pitch. Shannon, who had also been promoted to be the new Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, made sure to tell Ava first about the upcoming Seeker tryouts.

Ava knew she had a pile of homework waiting to be done, and that she had spells to practice over the weekend as well, but Quidditch would always have a special priority in her books and no amount of homework would keep her out of this. It’d be one way to destress as well, she told herself.

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

And so Saturday came and Ava found herself sitting by the stands, waiting for her turn to get tested. She was competing against at least 8 candidates, all in a higher year than Ava. All of them brought their own fast and fancy broom with them as well. Lucky for Ava, Shannon had decided to lend her own Firebolt 2000 to all the candidates so that everyone would have a fair, equal shot at the Snitch.

Shannon tested the candidates twice: first by letting the candidate see the Snitch while it flew away, then letting them fly after it after giving the snitch a ten-second head start. From here, they narrowed down the candidates to four and these four proceeded to the second test. Second test was like an actual game of Quidditch, where the other members of the Gryffindor team would fly around, passing the Quaffle back and forth, the Beaters adding to the challenge by aiming the Bludgers towards the candidate being tested. It was a close decision between Ava and Levi Sparks, a thin, small boy in his 5th year, but Ava won by a few seconds faster than Levi for both tests.

Ava was on cloud nine for the rest of the weekend. She did it. She was now part of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team like Shannon and Mary. She was so overjoyed that once again, she had completely forgotten all about her homework.

* * *

Ava was so hyped and excited about their upcoming match with the Slytherins that all she could think of and focus on were their nightly Quidditch practice. She would later on realize that she’d be in some deep, serious trouble.

This only dawned on her when she arrived into Professor Vincent’s office after being summoned there two weeks later. Ava was so surprised to find Madam Superion and Shannon in there as well.

_ ‘The boss bitch is here… and so is the Captain. I wonder what this is about?’ _ Ava thought.

The two of them and Professor Vincent were waiting for her and it seemed, judging by the worried look on Shannon’s face, that there was some really bad news waiting for her.

“Ah, you’re finally here. Please, take a seat,” Professor Vincent said as he gestured towards the chair in front of his desk.”

“Uhm...it’s okay, Professor, I’d rather stand.” Ava tried her best not to fidget as all three pairs of eyes watched her. “Sooo…uhm, what is this about?”

“I will cut directly to the chase since I know all of us are busy. I heard the news that you have been made the new Seeker of our House’s Quidditch Team. Congratulations.”

“Ah yeah, thank you —“

“However,” Mother Superion suddenly spoke. Ava turned to her and swallowed. “I am afraid I cannot allow you to play Quidditch for the Gryffindors until certain improvements on your class performance have occurred.”

“WHAT?” Ava exclaimed.

“Your priority should be your studies, Ms. Silva. I spoke to all of your teachers and everyone had expressed the same concerns.” She started pacing around Ava. “We are aware that you might be having some difficulties adjusting to the lessons. But considering that your performance in every class has worsened, and you have further neglected your homework and practicing your spells ever since you got on the team, we have decided to temporarily pull you away from the source of your distraction. This means no Quidditch practice and Quidditch matches until this condition has been met.”

“But--”

“It’s not only that, Ava,” Professor Vincent continued. “You also have to remember that you are one of the scholars of the school. You have responsibilities to adhere to as one of the recipients. You have received information regarding this together with your Hogwarts letter at the end of summer semester have you not?”

Ava nodded, now feeling very much scolded. She had forgotten about that.

“The Hogwarts’ governors are financing your studies and you have to be aware that they are quite concerned about your plummeting marks. They want to continue supporting students, but they want to support students who are doing their best and are excelling in their studies.”

“But I am trying my best--”

“Are you, really?” Mother Superions’ eyes bore into Ava’s. “I often get the impression that you are constantly fooling around and treating a lot of things as a game. You are taking this opportunity given to you for granted, acting like a child who doesn’t know what she wants --”

“Superion, that is enough.”

Professor Vincent threw Madam Superion a warning look. She tilted her head at him, meeting his gaze head-on. Ava averted her gaze and stared at the floor. She just wanted to sink into it and disappear from there.

Ava was greatly reminded by Sister Frances all of a sudden, of how she would scold Ava for every mistake she would make back at the orphanage. Ava had gotten so used to it that she had learned how to ignore her scathing remarks. But this wasn’t at the orphanage. This was at Hogwarts where Ava started to feel most welcome and at home.

Shannon approached her and placed a consoling hand on her shoulder. Ava gave her a weak nod and a smile.

Professor Vincent sighed. “I’m sorry it had to be on these terms, Ava. But I assure you that you will be allowed to play Quidditch as soon as you get your grades back up. Shannon, I’m afraid you will have to find the Gryffindor Team a temporary Seeker as quickly as possible. Gryffindor’s first match with the Slytherins is within a few weeks’ time. I want our Seeker to have practice before then.”

“Understood, Professor.”

“Good.” His gaze landed back on Ava. “Do we have an agreement, Ava? Do you have any questions for us?”

Ava swallowed and fought hard to keep her voice steady. “Nothing, Professor. M-may I leave, please?”

Ava barely waited for Professor Vincent’s nod before scrambling out of his office, not daring to even look at Madam Superion’s face. As soon as she was out of the door and into the deserted corridors (it was already late and everyone should already be in their respective Common Rooms by now), she let her feet take her as far away from there as possible.

Ava stopped walking when she turned around a corner. She leaned against the wall and let out an angry huff. The whole corridor started to blur and she angrily swiped at the tears that started to pool in her eyes. Madam Superion’s voice rang inside her head once more as she paced around that spot.

_...You are constantly fooling around and treating a lot of things as a game. You are taking this opportunity given to you for granted, acting like a child... _

“I’m not a child!” Ava yelled through gritted teeth.

“Ava?”

Startled, Ava turned around to find Beatrice a couple of feet before her, books, parchment, and her quill all cradled in her arms. Of all the people who’d have to see her throw a tantrum over her pitiful fate because of how terrible her grades had become, it just had to be the Star student of their year.

Ava took several calming deep breaths before speaking. “Beatrice! Hi! Uh...why are you here?”

Beatrice slowly and cautiously approached Ava, looking around her as if she was waiting for something to happen. “I was coming from the library when I saw the torch lights and candles along this corridor flickering…” She looked at Ava. “Are you alright?”

“Yes.” Ava hesitated, then her shoulders slumped in defeat. “...I mean, no. Nothing’s alright…”

“Do you...want to talk about it?”

Ava wasn’t expecting to unload all of her frustrations on Beatrice but she did. She told Beatrice about her struggles in keeping up with the homework, about her confusion as to why her spells didn’t work almost all the time, and how Slytherins would make fun of her because of this and call her a Squib. She also told Beatrice about what happened in Professor Vincent’s office: about how happy she was to be picked as the Gryffindor team’s new Seeker only to be banned from playing the game even before she could play in her first match. And how she wouldn't be allowed to play until she managed to get her marks up.

“I can’t even do the one thing I actually enjoy doing which is to just fly and play Quidditch,” Ava said, defeatedly. Beatrice was now leaning against the wall like Ava and was listening attentively to everything she had just said.

“I’m so sorry to hear about all that, Ava. I know Madam Superion may have been too harsh when she said all those things to you, but I believe she just doesn’t want you to fail,” Beatrice reasoned with her. “She wants to encourage you to work harder in class so you won’t get sent away from Hogwarts.”

“That’s one weird way to encourage a student…”

“She has her own ways, I suppose...but I truly believe she just wants what’s best for you. She has also seen your great potential in Quidditch and I am sure she wants you to play in the matches.”

“That’s not gonna happen unless I pull my grades up which will be nothing short of a miracle at this point.”

“That’s not true. You just need a little push and plenty of motivation.” There was silence between them until Beatrice spoke up again. “If you’d like, I could try to help you study?”

* * *

Beatrice told Ava to meet her in the library early that Saturday for their first study session. Ava, who still couldn’t quite believe that Beatrice herself had offered to tutor her, arrived a lot earlier than Beatrice. She had brought her books and her unfinished essays with her.

When Beatrice arrived, the two immediately went to work. Beatrice helped Ava a lot by providing Ava with guiding questions and pointers on what else to write about, things that Ava might have forgotten to explain. She would read over Ava’s work-in-progress (Ava noticed that her eyes would sometimes squint but not once did she say anything about Ava’s ugly handwriting) and would sometimes tap on certain things with her wand to correct them.

By the end of that day, Ava had successfully finished her essay for History of Magic and had created pretty good rough outlines for both her Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts ones. Beatrice, who was also working on her own homework while helping Ava out, had finished all three essays herself.

Weeks passed, and Ava and Beatrice had established a schedule for their study sessions. They would meet up every Saturday in the library to get all of their homework done. Ava usually couldn’t get everything done in just one day so she would work on her own on Sundays.

It was only Beatrice and her in the first few weeks but soon enough, Ava’s friends started joining them. First was JC after he had noticed Ava missing in the Gryffindor Common room every Saturday. And then Camila and Chanel. They’d all gather in the library now every Saturday, doing their homework together and helping each other out with them. Some of the Ravenclaws would sometimes come over to say hi to Beatrice but never really stayed long enough to study with them. Lilith, the Slytherin girl a year higher than them whom Ava remembered was friends with Beatrice, also came by once to say hello to Beatrice and asked to have a private conversation with her. The two talked too far for Ava to catch any of their conversation but Ava indistinctly heard Lilith tell Beatrice to be “careful of her decisions” and that they would have “consequences later on” when she departed.

Slowly but surely, their Saturday study meet-ups have extended to hanging out along the corridors or at the grounds, casually discussing the classes they just had and swapping notes. They also started practicing simple spells and although Ava still couldn’t understand why she sometimes couldn’t produce any magic at all, she was able to cast the spell correctly on particularly good days when Beatrice was helping her and her friends were around to encourage her. Ava was in a good mood and she had high hopes that she would be able to get back to Quidditch soon.

Ava was bummed out that she wasn’t even allowed to come and watch her teammates practice Quidditch (Madam Superion made it clear to Shannon that Ava should not be distracted by Quidditch whatsoever) so she had no idea how the team’s shape was for their upcoming match in November. Mary told Ava that they had picked Levi Sparks to be their temporary Seeker since he was the second best during the trials. And from what Ava had heard, the 5th year boy was doing really well and was working his ass off to show his competence, hoping that maybe the Gryffindor Team would decide to keep him and make him the permanent Seeker instead of Ava.

“No way! I got that position fair and square!” Ava protested one late evening in the Common Room.

“Yeah, I know, kid. But you gotta step up your game at studying too or else the rest of the team will end up getting used to having Levi around and would prefer to have him than you!” Mary said, ruffling Ava’s hair.

November arrived and it’s first Saturday brought in the first Quidditch match of the season: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Ava watched the Gryffindor Team longingly as they left the Great Hall that morning to get ready for the match. She stared at the back of Levi as they left, looking at the gold and maroon Quidditch robes on his back that were supposed to be hers. She pouted and grumbled under her breath.

It actually turned out to be quite a tough match, the Gryffindors only winning with two-hundred-and-eighty points to one-hundred. The Carrow twins, Crimson and Currant, both Slytherin’s Beaters, were pretty savage and were swinging their clubs, not caring whether they hit the Bludgers or the opposing team’s players. This had caused several penalties against Slytherin though. They also had gotten two new Chasers, Randal Roix and Zori Zadornova, both of whom JC knew from the Summer Quidditch Camp his parents had sent him to when he was younger. The two flew well and actually worked amazingly together, managing to slip a couple of goals in against Shannon. Good thing the Gryffindor Chasers also managed to score goals of their own. Levi eventually caught the Snitch which ended the game in their favor.

Ava watched on the side, emotions a confused mix of happiness for Gryffindor winning the game, and worry upon seeing the team pat Levi on the back for a job well done.

* * *

Holiday season arrived quickly afterwards and Ava had written her name down on the list of students who’d be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. Ava was half expecting to spend Christmas alone yet again but her friends surprised her when they told her that they also wrote their names on the list while they were all gathered one afternoon on one of the tables and chairs in the open grounds.

“For real? You’re all staying?” Ava couldn’t stop the grin that almost split her face in half.

Camila, JC, and Chanel all nodded their heads, smiling back at her. “I wanna continue working on the new magical inventions I came up with and I can only do magic here at Hogwarts. I also heard some of the Professors get drunk sometimes over the Christmas Eve feast and I wanna see that once in a lifetime spectacle!” Camila bubbly said. The four of them started to discuss what fun activities they could do over Christmas, yet Beatrice remained silent.

“What about you, Bea? Would you also stay here for Christmas?” Ava asked her.

Beatrice shook her head. “My father wants me back at our house for Christmas. And my mother said she wants to see me so...”

“Oh! Alright, of course! No worries!” Ava didn’t fail to notice how Beatrice said ‘house’ and not ‘home’, and how she kept calling her parents ‘mother’ and ‘father’. It felt too...formal. “We will miss having you around, doing homework with us.”

“Oh, I’m sure Ava will miss you dearly,” Chanel teased. “She would have had a hard time finishing all her essays without you helping her, Beatrice.”

“Hey!”

Beatrice smiled at this. “I’m sure Ava will do fine. And besides, it is the festive season. She deserves a break after working so hard these past few weeks.”

So on the 3rd week of December, winter term was officially done for that year and some of the students started preparing to head back to their homes. After wishing Ava a happy birthday (she was born on the 20th of December), Beatrice boarded the Hogwarts Express heading back to London with the other students.

Ava and the rest of the gang spent their time playing Exploding Snap and Wizard's Chess in the Gryffindor Common Room, inviting Camila and Chanel in as well. The four of them would lounge around the fire, sipping on some sweet nettle tea Camila had prepared for them. Mary and Shannon would sometimes join them but would usually be in a corner of their own, talking in hushed voices, laughing and giggling to themselves.

Professor Vincent had also summoned Ava again in his office during the holidays to check on her. As the Head of the Gryffindor House, adviser and counsellor for her scholarship at Hogwarts, he asked Ava about her progress with her grades and about her general feelings and frustrations about her studies and her current predicament -- if there was anything that was bothering her and that if there was anything he could do to help. Ava told him everything that had occurred since they had that talk in his office and told him about how she was doing her best to make progress with her studies and her weird spellcasting incompetence. Professor Vincent looked legitimately concerned about her well-being and Ava was happy she could talk to an adult about these things.

The professors and all the students who remained all had a nice Christmas Eve feast. Professor Salvius ended up getting quite intoxicated and started lecturing Madam Superion, who had the misfortune of sitting beside her on the table, about the Elixir of Life and something that was called the Prima Materia. Professor Schaefer, who was sitting across from the two women, would sometimes let out a very uncharacteristic giggle and would then spout out unrelated occurrences caused by planetary alignments that he would somehow connect to whatever Professor Salvius was talking about. Madam Superion remained stoic and poker-faced the entire time but Ava had a strong feeling she was about to transfigure both Professor Salvius and Professor Schaefer into buttons if they continued to nag her any further. She looked so relieved when Head Master Duretti finally stood up, bid everyone a nice Christmas, and motioned for everyone to head to their beds.

Christmas morning arrived and Ava was a bit surprised yet relieved to see that there were no presents waiting for her at the bottom of her bed. She felt bad last year when her friends gave her presents when she didn’t have the money to buy them any herself.

Yet when she went down to the Common Room from the second year dormitory, all her friends were already there, sitting on the rug on the floor and having a nice Christmas breakfast all together by the fireplace. There was a pile of presents on the floor in the corner.

“There she is,” Mary grinned when she saw Ava coming down the stairs. “Hurry up, we have been waiting for you.”

“What’s all this?” Ava said as she sat down on the floor with them. “How come there’s food here?”

“We passed by the kitchens before coming up here. We thought it would be nice to have our own private breakfast all together instead of sitting at the Great Hall when there’s so very few of us,” Camila explained. “The House Elves in the kitchens were happy to help and magically sent some of the food up here for us.”

“Wow, this is amazing.”

“We figured we should do the gift-giving here,” Shannon added, gesturing to the pile of presents in the corner.

Ava’s stomach dropped to the floor, her face turning red. “I...I didn’t manage to get you guys any presents…”

“Who said we want any from you?” Mary playfully punched her on the shoulder. “It’s all good, kid. Don’t stress yourself too much about it.”

JC stood up and started to hand out the gifts to everyone. He picked up a very long package last and handed it to Ava. “This is from all of us. Including Beatrice.”

Ava took the package and noticed a card attached to it. Judging by the familiar handwriting, Beatrice had written the message on the card and everyone else signed at the bottom. Ava read it out loud:

> “‘ _ Belated Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas! _
> 
> _ Hope you like our gift and we are all looking _
> 
> _ forward to seeing you use it soon! _
> 
> _ From _
> 
> _ Beatrice, Camila, Chanel, JC, Mary, and Shannon.’" _

  
  


Ava already knew what was in it before she could unwrap the present. She ripped the wrapping off and revealed the very same broomstick Ava and Camila were gawking at when they were at Quality Quidditch Supplies only a few months before. Ava stared at the polished Bolivian Rosewood handle, with the word “Ignis” engraved on the end and embellished with gold.

For the first time in her life, Ava was speechless.

All her friends grinned at her, they seemed to be quite happy and content with her reaction. Ava finally managed to croak out a reply.

“ _No_ _way_...guys, this is super expensive?! How…? I can’t accept this?”

“First of all, that would be damn rude of you,” Mary started. “And secondly, it’s both a birthday and Christmas present from the six of us. For the next three years, mind you! So don’t expect to get any more gifts from us for that period of time.”

“Camila’s parents and the rest of the Gryffindor Team also chipped in,” Shannon added. “Besides, you will be needing your very own broom by the time you rejoin us and you deserve the best one out there. We can’t have our great Seeker flying around on one of the slow school brooms now, can we?”

Ava, finding no words yet again, simply gave them all the warmest hugs she could give.

* * *

The Hogwarts Express returned to Hogwarts by the beginning of January. Beatrice, who wasn’t there to witness Ava getting her surprise present, immediately got a faceful of Ava’s hair as soon as she met up with Ava and the gang when she got back. Ava hugged and thanked her for the gift like the way she did with the others. Beatrice, who wasn’t used to physical contact and such open displays of affection, wasn’t sure exactly how to respond and lighted up like a red christmas bulb.

Classes resumed and Ava had been fueled by a higher sense of determination by her friends’ amazing gift. She threw herself more into her studies, putting doubled effort into reading the assigned texts and spending more time writing and rewriting her essays. She had even successfully cast a proper Full Body-Bind Curse on Arsenius Podmore, one of the Gryffindors, on her first try during Defense Against the Dark Arts. Potions proved to be more difficult since Ava was still clumsy and had a tendency to miscalculate or make mistakes in measuring certain ingredients, but her improvement was still very apparent to everyone, especially to the professors.

It was after their Transfiguration class with the Slytherins that Ava finally got the good news. Madam Superion asked her to stay after the class after which she told Ava that she could finally rejoin the Gryffindor Quidditch Team in the upcoming match against Hufflepuff that Saturday.

“And she tells you this now? When we have barely a week for you to practice?” Shannon exclaimed, sounding very stressed.

“I’m good, Shannon! I can do this!”

“You haven’t ridden a broom in months though, Ava. Still gotta get yourself acquainted with your new Ignis. How about you let Levi take this match and you handle the final match?”

“But--”

“This way, we will also have an advantage against the Ravenclaws. They’d be expecting Levi to play against them so they’ll strategize based on that. You haven’t told Beatrice that you’re allowed to play again, have you?”

“Not yet but --”

“Ok, great. Don’t you say a word to her yet,” Mary jumped in the conversation. “She may be our friend now but there’s no such thing as friends in Quidditch. Better yet, don’t tell anyone else about it at all. Only the members of our Quidditch team should know.”

So Ava was forced to be quiet about her being able to play Quidditch. She was still upset that they decided to take her out of the match against the Hufflepuffs but she was at least appeased that she could now attend Quidditch practice with the rest of the team and fly on her new broom. Ava zoomed around the entire Quidditch pitch on her first day back in training, whooping in joy as she flew around, pushing her new Ignis to its limit.

Levi seemed to be quite unhappy with the news as well but he tried to be a good sport about it and told the team he’d be flying his best in his last match. Shannon had the two Seekers pitted against each other in several practice matches, seeing who’d find and catch the snitch first. Levi was definitely better than Ava in being more useful to the team. Levi was sometimes blocking and flying around the players to provide some distraction, while still being able to keep an eye around.

In their first practice match, Levi tricked Ava into thinking that he had found the Snitch and had taken a very steep dive. Ava immediately flew as fast as she could after him, too focused on overtaking him that she noticed a split second too late when he suddenly pulled up from the dive, leaving Ava to almost crash on the stands. She managed to avoid crashing by literally twisting her entire body to take a very sharp turn with her Ignis, giving herself a slight whiplash and failing to notice Levi flying towards the other end of the field, catching the snitch. Levi was a bit smug about this catch against Ava but he immediately proceeded to teach Ava about the Wronski Feint he just did, and about other tips and tricks.

The Hufflepuff match arrived and Levi, as he promised, performed really well against the Hufflepuffs. He caught the snitch really fast, ending the match almost immediately.

Ava, who grew to like Levi during the week that they practiced together, told Shannon to continue to invite the guy for their practice matches. Levi gave Ava a crushing hug when he came back for practice a few days after the match.

* * *

“But that’s not true. You’ve worked so hard and improved so much!”

It was one of the days during their Easter break when Beatrice remembered to ask Ava if she was allowed back into the team. Ava reluctantly lied to her about it, saying that Madam Superion still wanted her to do better and participate more in class. Beatrice’s eyebrows furrowed in disbelief upon hearing it.

“Well...she did say I am nearly there. I just need to...uhm...work a bit more,” Ava said, not entirely meeting Beatrice’s concerned eyes.

Beatrice's face looked determined. “Right. I know what we have to do.”

Beatrice’s plan worked a lot in Ava’s favor. When classes again resumed after the spring break, Beatrice made it a point to sit right next to Ava when they had classes together. Everytime a question was asked in class and Beatrice was fairly certain that Ava knew the answer, she’d nudge Ava under the table and make her raise her hand. Beatrice would even slide her notes slightly towards Ava so Ava could read the answer from there if Ava didn’t know the answer.

“Damn, Bea, you must really want to play against me so bad if you’re willing to do this,” Ava guiltily told her while the two of them and the rest of the gang were sitting around the lake. Mary was there too, hanging out with them since she had some free time.

“Well, I really want to see you play, Ava,” Beatrice said. “We all do.”

“Yeah, we didn’t give you the broom just so it could sit around in your Common Room unused,” Mary commented, then winked at Ava when Beatrice turned to look away. Ava narrowed her eyes at Mary. She didn’t like lying to Beatrice at all.

But Ava didn’t have to worry too long about it since the final match of the Quidditch season finally arrived. Ava’s spirits were high. It was the sixth and final match of the season, but this was Ava’s very first match as Gryffindor’s Seeker. And no one really knows about Ava playing just yet except for the entire Gryffindor Team and Madam Superion.   
  


So Ava couldn’t help but grin when she saw the surprised look on the Ravenclaws’ faces when both the teams stood in front of each other before the game began. Beatrice’s expression looked pleasantly surprised and excited in contrast to the rest of her teammate’s faces. The Ravenclaw’s Team Captain, Steele Larch, approached Madam Superion to voice her concern about the sudden change in Gryffindor’s Seeker.

“Ms. Silva is the official Seeker of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team,” Madam Superion replied. “Ms. Masters had submitted this list to me at the beginning of the Quidditch season. However, Ms. SIlva had more important things that required her full attention, that was why she had not appeared in any of the previous matches. But those things have been resolved before the Spring break. I have approved of her return myself so this was not a spontaneous decision made by the Gryffindor Team. Now if there is nothing else, I would like to start the match.”

Ava noticed Beatrice’s eyebrows rise upon hearing this. Larch was frowning as she walked back to her team. As everyone mounted their brooms, Beatrice met Ava’s gaze, one eyebrow raised. Ava smiled sheepishly at her.

The sound of the first whistle was heard. The players kicked the brooms off of the ground, everyone positioning themselves to their respective spots. The Snitch was then released. Ava saw it fly around both teams before disappearing out of sight.

With the second sound of the whistle, the Quaffle and the two Bludgers were released and the game was on.

“Black immediately in possession of the Quaffle!” roared the announcer. “Passing it to Knotts, dodging Crooks who tried to intercept her, heading straight for the goal now -- amazing save by Masters!”

Shannon managed to kick the Quaffle, sending its trajectory off and veering to the side, missing the goal entirely. Ava tore her eyes away from the game, flying above everyone else and keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of the Snitch while still listening closely at the announcer.

“Gryffindor now in possession. Lace swerving past Oleander, passing the Quaffle to Fenrin -- whoa! They narrowly avoided that Bludger sent hurling at them by Shrew! But they dropped the Quaffle because of this! Ravenclaw’s Black diving for it! She’s now on the offensive and going straight to the goal!”

Ava couldn’t help herself and watched as Beatrice flew at full speed towards Shannon. Beatrice leaned her body towards one side, poised as if to throw the Quaffle to the left most hoop. Shannon moved to guard the said hoop when Beatrice suddenly did a somersault in midair and tossed the Quaffle to the other hoop end instead.

“SHE SCORES!” The announcer yelled, almost getting drowned out by the cheers from the Ravenclaw stands and boos from the Gryffindors. “Spectacular first goal from Black!”

“Oi, Ava!” Mary shouted over the noise of the spectators as she flew towards Ava, smashing the Bludger that was heading towards her. “Focus! Eyes on the Snitch!”

“Right!” Ava said, shaking herself out of her amazement for Beatrice’s amazing play.

The match continued on like this for a bit longer. The Chasers of both teams took turns attacking each other’s goal posts. Ravenclaw was currently in the lead with seventy points to fifty. They have managed to slow down Beatrice’s attacks after Mary decided to regularly send the Bludger flying after Beatrice. Both teams scored more goals against each other but a ten minute timeout was called by Madam Superion after a very long rally of both teams failing to score any goals.

“Ravenclaw’s Team is really strong this year huh?” Reed Fenrin said as they wiped the sweat off of their forehead. “And that Black? She’s crazy good. More than half their points were done by her.”

“She’s good, but she’s not unstoppable,” Mary countered. “Shannon’s doing an amazing job in thwarting her attacks.”

Shannon shook her head. “Barely. Beatrice is literally playing mind games with me. It's hard to tell when she’s going to do a feint or not.” She turned towards Mary and Alder Crane, the other Beater. “Great work on keeping her busy with the Bludgers though. Keep it up, both of you.” She turns to Ava. “Any news on that Snitch?”

“I’m on it.”

Shannon nodded at her. The whistle to indicate that the break was over rang across the entire pitch and the Gryffindors trudged back towards the field. Mary hung a bit behind with Ava to talk to her.

“Shannon wouldn’t say it but I know she’s pretty exhausted already,” Mary said in a low whisper so only Ava could hear. “The maneuvers she had to execute to successfully save those attacks from Beatrice drained her. Not to pressure you or anything, but you gotta catch that Snitch soon, kid.”

They were all back on their brooms and sending the Quaffle back and forth from one goal pitch to another. Ravenclaw had scored another twenty points but Gryffindor retaliated by scoring 30 points. The match started to get dirty when the first foul of the match was done by Hazel Crooks when she tried to steal the Quaffle from Beatrice and almost knock her off her broom. Beatrice was awarded a free, uninterrupted penalty attack against Shannon, which she managed to score. This made the score a hundred-and-sixty to a hundred-and-thirty to Ravenclaw.

The match had been going for more than an hour when Ava finally managed to catch a glint of gold ten feet above the ground at the far end of the field, near the stands where the Slytherins were sitting. Ava immediately went for a full-speed dive for it, urging her Ignis to go as fast as it could. She could hear the sound of the Bludger right at her tail and the Ravenclaw’s Seeker struggling to overtake her. The Snitch was flying away now too. Ava stretched her whole body out, her whole frame flat against her broom handle, extending her arm as far as it could go and then--

She caught it, before she almost crashed into the Slytherin stands, turning her broom back up into the air and coming to a halt in the middle of the field, her hand where the Snitch was tightly grasped raised into the air.

And once again, Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup that year. Ava was simply delighted to win her first ever Quidditch match.

* * *

The joy from the Gryffindors getting the Quidditch Cup yet again quickly dissipated. It was back to studying for Ava and the rest of the students since their end of the year exams were just around the corner. Beatrice, at first, tried to act as if she was upset at Ava for not telling her about being back on the Gryffindor team, and refused to share her notes with her. But she eventually dropped the act when Ava apologized profusely to her and explained that Shannon and Mary made her do it.

The days passed by quickly and soon, everyone had taken their exams and enjoyed their farewell feast at Hogwarts before departing the school for summer holidays. Ravenclaw’s colors decorated the Great Hall once more after clearly winning the House Cup with more than a hundred points of lead. The gang took turns in crowding around each other's tables, showing each other's exam results (Beatrice, without a doubt, had gotten perfect marks on every subject. Ava surprisingly got really good marks as well. Shannon would only be receiving her O.W.L. results in July) and exchanging contact details so they could write to each other over the holidays. Camila, JC, Chanel, Shannon, and Mary all exchanged mobile phone numbers since the five of them all owned phones. Ava was shocked to learn that Beatrice didn’t have one.

“I’ve always wanted one but my father isn’t exactly a... _ fan _ of muggle inventions,” Beatrice explained. “My mom had gifted me a messenger Raven last year for getting into Ravenclaw though. We could send letters to each other that way if you give me your addresses.”

Since Ava would be spending her summer at Camila’s place again, Ava didn’t give her the orphanage’s address and only Camila’s. 

They all boarded the Hogwarts Express the next day. Camila showed all of them her small muggle-magical hybrid inventions she had tinkered with throughout the year. These included a self-heating and self-cooling mug which Camila said had kept her Nettle Tea constantly hot; Highlighters that changes color depending on the mood of the person using it; And a self-refilling bag of chips that refills itself up with whatever chips flavor you wish when you say the flavour and “please” into the bag (Camila told Ava she created it with the help of the House Elves in the Hogwarts kitchen. Ava suspected the House Elves themselves are refilling the bag with the same magic they use to send the food to their tables in the Great Hall).

When they arrived at King’s Cross, the very same wizard Ava thought looked like a butler was waiting for Beatrice. Camila’s family was already there too, waiting for both Camila and Ava. Mr. and Mrs. Cortez told her that they had already talked to Sister Frances and had prepared the necessary documents to be able to have both Ava and Diego over with them for the entire summer. They would go directly to Ava’s orphanage to pick up Diego from there.

Before they could leave, Ava ran over to where Beatrice was standing. Lilith was already there now too (Ava made a mental note to ask Beatrice about her relationship with Lilith later and why they were always heading back home together from Hogwarts). Ava gave her a hug, and Beatrice, who was still not used to receiving physical gestures of affection, took a while before awkwardly wrapping her arms around Ava to return the embrace.

“Thank you for all your help this year,” Ava told Beatrice while still hugging her. “Don’t forget to write to us, alright?” She slowly pulled back, briefly catching sight of Lilith’s eye roll before she turned around. 

Beatrice smiled warmly at Ava. “I won’t. I will write to remind you and Camila that we still have homework to do over the summer.”

Ava wrinkled her nose. “Hey, vacation’s barely started and you’re already thinking about homework…”

“Well, you don’t want to get taken out of the Quidditch Team again, do you?”

Ava pouted. Beatrice let out a pleasant laugh which made Ava beam broadly.

“Trice, it’s time to go,” Lilith impatiently said.

“Guess I’ll see you next term?” Ava finally said as she slowly backed away to return to the Cortezes.

“See you then, Ava.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're still very young but I swear, Avatrice is gonna happen at some point. We're slowly getting there.

**Author's Note:**

> I normally draw fandom things and not write fics, but here we are.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think in the comments below! You can also find my on tumblr, twitter, and instagram @trixdraws


End file.
